Righting Wrongs
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Bella is a mess after the Cullen's leave. She doesn't know how to live without them, and she's wasting away. Can Jasper right Edwards wrong?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

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 **AN -** BellaJasper is my first love of Twilight, not gonna lie. Much as I like Bella paired with others, BellaJasper just makes sense to me. I don't know why, but I don't regret it. So, this story is somewhat special. I have it part written, eight chapters are ready to be posted, it isn't finished. It will be finished, I guarantee it. I don't leave stories unfinished. But! It does mean that updates will be sporadic and I'll post when I have time. Real life gets in the way far too often. If it was my choice, I'd spend every night writing, but it's just not to be.

 **I hope you enjoy, and please drop a review on the way out.**

 **WARNINGS -** This story is not for Edward Lovers. There's bad language, the possibility of both Violence and Lemons, and maybe a few other bits that I haven't thought of yet. Also, trigger warning - There is mention of suicide further into the story, but nobody dies. It's just mentioned. But the warning is there and you cannot say it isn't :P

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 **Righting Wrongs**

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There was nothing left inside me. He'd taken everything with him when he left me in the forest. I couldn't cry, couldn't think, couldn't sleep. I didn't want to sleep. Sleep meant dreams, dreams meant nightmares, nightmares meant pain.

Charlie was stressed and hurt by my behaviour, but I couldn't bring myself to get better for him. He didn't understand and there was no way for me to explain it to him without betraying those that had left me behind. They might not care about me, but I cared about them and I wouldn't share their secret.

Renee was worried about me, and thought the best thing for me would be to force me away from Forks. I wouldn't leave. Charlie might not want me living under his roof any more, but he couldn't force me away from the town I now called home.

I'd walk the streets before I went to Florida.

Of course Charlie didn't kick me out, so instead of walking the streets, I sat in my bedroom, staring at the window for hours at a time. To distract myself from the pain, I threw myself into my school work, gaining A's across the board.

There was a time when I would have been proud of that.

Days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, but I was still broken. I didn't speak to anyone. I didn't even make eye contact with anyone. I was a shadow of the person I had been. Anything of substance about me had fled Forks with the Cullens.

To keep out of Charlie's way as much as possible, I took a job at Newton's Outfitters. There were too many hours in a day for me to fill, but that eased the burden a little. Between school, studying and work, I was only left with the nights.

Night was always the worst. Thoughts broke through my shaky shield, destroying me again and again. Why I couldn't get past them, I didn't know. The memories; both good and bad, played on a never ending loop inside my mind.

They showed me time and time again how stupid I'd been to ever think that these beautiful, amazing vampires could ever want to keep me with them. They showed me how ridiculous it had been to think that Edward could ever love me. They showed me just how insignificant I had been to them.

Despite their perfect recall, I would be surprised if they even remembered I existed by now.

I wanted… There were so many things I wanted. I wanted to be angry at them for abandoning me. I wanted to tell Jasper that I didn't blame him for what happened on my birthday. I wanted to ask Alice why she didn't even say goodbye. I wanted to tell Edward that no matter what he thought, he wasn't a monster. I wanted to ask Carlisle and Esme why they called me their new daughter, only to discard me like last season's clothes.

So many things I wanted, but I would never get the chance to do any of them.

I tried to be angry. I hoped it would break through the haze that surrounded me. I hoped it would give me something to cling to, something to bring me back to life, but it didn't because anger evaded me like everything else.

I couldn't be angry at them for leaving because it was my fault. I wasn't important enough for them to remain for. I wasn't interesting enough, or funny enough, or pretty enough for them to want to stick around for. I didn't fit with their perfection.

As the sky lightened above my house, I got out of bed on autopilot, showering and dressing without once looking at the mess I would surely see in the mirror. Today would be filled with school and work, a few hours of respite from the thoughts and memories that clouded me.

When I got home and exhausted any and all school work I had, they would return with a vengeance, as they did every night.

I would succumb to them.

I always did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't expect updates to be this fast normally, guys... I just had an overwhelming response to the stories I posted yesterday and reviews feed my muse like nothing else, so... Yeah. Enjoy!**

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 **Chapter 2**

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Jasper sighed when he watched Bella get out of her truck and walk into school without so much as looking at anyone else. He'd been watching her for a week, and he was deeply concerned with what he'd found.

Honestly, he'd only returned to Forks on the off chance that Bella would agree to see him so he could apologise for almost biting her on her birthday. He didn't know what he'd expected to find when he arrived, but it wasn't this.

Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, he called Carlisle, who picked up on the second ring.

"Jasper, it's good to hear from you, Son. How are you?"

"Not great, Carlisle. Listen, I'm in Forks and… we've messed up big."

"What do you mean? Why are you in Forks?"

"I came to apologise to Bella. It was my fault we left after all, and it really just felt like I needed to tell her how sorry I am about what happened."

"Did she accept your apology?"

"I haven't approached her. It hurts to be too close to her. The pain she's feeling… Carlisle, I've never felt anything like it. I don't know how she's still walking."

"Has something happened to her, Jasper? Has she been injured?"

Jasper could hear his tone turn urgent as worry seeped through. He shook his head to himself. Bella wasn't the only one in pain about the separation.

"Not in the physical sense, at least, I don't think so. She… she's not the Bella I remember. I haven't heard her speak to anyone for the entire week I've been here. Her eyes are dead, her movements wooden. It's like… I don't know how to even explain it. It's like Bella isn't there any more. She's like a zombie.

But then, her emotions are even stronger than those of a vampire. Depression, abandonment, anxiety, guilt, and an abnormal amount of self hatred. The first night I arrived, I waited by the house for her to get home, and when she got out of the truck, her emotions literally sent me tumbling to my knees."

"Jasper… are you saying we've done this? Is she like this because we left?"

"I'd take an educated guess and say yes. Obviously I haven't actually spoken to her, but… two nights ago, she actually exhausted herself into sleeping and I heard her screaming for Edward."

"But… She said she understood why we had to leave."

"Did she? Did you personally hear her say that?"

"Well, no. Edward spoke to her about it at length, and told her that we were leaving. She said she understood, but didn't want to go through the trauma of an emotional goodbye. She thought a clean break would be best for her, so we respected that decision.

You'll remember how heartbroken Esme and Alice were about it," Carlisle replied, sounding troubled.

"It's possible Edward decided that a clean break would be best for her. He did tend to take her choices away when he thought he was right."

"Surely he wouldn't do that, though? I mean, he loved her. He still does, as I understand it. He just didn't want to subject her to the lifestyle we're forced into."

Jasper sighed.

"Look, I know you don't like Edward being… put down, but just hear me out. When he was around Bella, I felt possessiveness, protectiveness, intrigue and frustration. I didn't really think about it at the time, because let's face it, I was always being overly cautious around her.

After we left, when we all met in Alaska, I felt heartache, guilt, and sadness from the rest of the family, but nothing from Edward. And when I say nothing, I mean nothing. He felt completely calm and at ease. Now he's off doing whatever with whoever, and I can't help but wonder what that's all about.

If she was his mate, like he convinced both her and us that she was, he wouldn't have been able to leave her. As far as I understand the mating bond, and from what I've observed between Rose and Emmett and you and Esme, it would have been physically painful for him to spend any extended length of time away from her.

Edward… I'm beginning to think we've all been played, Carlisle."

There was silence for a few seconds, but Jasper waited patiently.

"Can you approach Bella without causing yourself too much pain?" Carlisle asked after a moment.

"I can try," Jasper replied uncertainly. "She seems the least emotional when she is at work, so I could drop by just after her shift."

"Where is she working?"

"Newton's outfitters," Jasper replied, enjoying the irony. Carlisle chuckled softly.

"Try and approach her. Before we can truly decide on a course of action, we need to find out if we are in fact responsible for the state Bella is in, or if something has happened in our absence. If it is our fault… we've got an awful lot of making up to do."

"I'll call you later on tonight, after I've spoken to her. That's if she'll see me at all," Jasper added softly. "After what I did…"

"She won't hold it against you, Jasper. She never blamed you, not even when I was stitching up her injuries, I can assure you of that."

"Thanks, Carlisle. How is Esme? And Emmett and Rose?"

"We're all fine, Jasper. Alice called. She see's herself returning within the year, with her mate in tow."

Jasper laughed. "Only Alice could see that she would meet her mate at Paris Fashion Week."

Carlisle joined in the humour. "But of course. She asked me to tell you that she'll call you in a few weeks."

"That's good. I've missed the little pixie," Jasper replied, smiling to himself. "I'm going to go hunt. I'll need to be at full strength to manage Bella's emotions. I'll call you tonight, Carlisle."

"I'll be waiting. And Jasper?"

"Yes?"

"I'm proud of you, Son. For checking on her."

"Thanks, dad."

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Standing close to her truck, Jasper counted down the seconds until Bella would finish her shift at Newtons. He had tried to think of the best way to approach her, and wondered if walking into the shop wouldn't be better. Eventually, he'd decided against that. If she was afraid of him, it wouldn't do to have witnesses to her freaking out.

He felt her emotions before he saw her, the same ones he'd been feeling from her since he arrived, only slightly muted. He stood under the streetlight so she would see him clearly, and when she did, he felt her emotions fluctuate.

Disbelief was added to the never ending stream of angst coursing through her, and for a brief moment, hope and longing flashed through her.

When she was close enough to hear him, he greeted her softly.

"Hello, Bella."

She didn't reply verbally, just stared at him with dead eyes.

"I hoped I could join you for a chat tonight, but I didn't want to just climb into your bedroom. Would that be alright with you?"

When she nodded, he took it as a small victory, though her emotions remained the same. The disbelief was getting stronger.

"Would you like me to drive you home?" he asked, gesturing to her truck.

Again, no verbal reply, but she slowly reached out her hand to him, holding out the keys.

He took them, being careful not to touch her skin. He didn't want to shock her into an unfavourable reaction. She walked past him and climbed carefully into the passenger seat of her truck as he jumped up into the driver's seat.

With a small sigh, Jasper started the truck and drove back to the Swan residence, glad that Charlie appeared to still be at work. He parked up and jumped out of the truck, running around the other side to open Bella's door. He offered her his hand to climb out, but she ignored it, getting out by herself. He handed her the keys and she locked the truck up and walked to the house without looking at him.

He followed slowly, unsure of the best way to approach conversation with Bella when she seemed to be doing her best to completely ignore his presence. When she walked straight up the stairs towards her bedroom, he closed the front door, and followed her.

She was sitting on her bed, staring at the window. She'd stripped her coat and shoes off, but was otherwise fully dressed.

"Bella?"

He thought for a moment that she was going to continue to ignore him, but her head turned slowly in his direction and her eyes rested on his face.

"I… I wanted to talk to you. First though, I wanted to apologise to you. What I did… It's completely unforgivable that I tried to attack you on your birthday, and I will completely understand if you tell me to leave and never come back, but please accept my most heartfelt apology. I am so, so sorry for what I did to you, Bella."

He was a little unnerved that she hadn't blinked in the whole time he'd been talking, but he waited her out. A single tear fell from her eye onto her cheek, tracking slowly down her cheek.

"I never blamed you," she whispered raspily. "It was never your fault."

"Bella -"

She shook her head, and it was the most animated he'd seen her in all the time he'd been watching her.

"You acted on instinct, and you had the bloodlust of the others to deal with on top of your own. It wasn't your fault," she told him.

Even though her voice was quiet and harsh from lack of use, her words were certain, as were her eyes.

He nodded reluctantly. "Thank you, Bella. You're more gracious than I deserve."

When she didn't reply, he took a deep breath and crouched down in front of the bed, lightly resting his hand beside hers.

"Can you tell me what caused this?" he asked, gesturing to her. When she looked confused, he added, "Your emotions are… very strong at the moment, and you're… lifeless. What happened, Bella?"

She shook her head, tears falling faster now.

"Please, Bella. Tell me what happened."

"My family left me," she whimpered. "Gone… gone… all gone…"

Jasper felt his long dead heart shatter in his chest. He was up in seconds, scooping her into his arms and holding her close to his chest. As soon as he touched her, she clung to him tightly, her arms around his neck as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"No, darlin', don't cry," he murmured, rocking her as he sat down on the bed with her in his arms. Settling her more comfortably on his lap, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and whispered apologies and comforting words into her ear as her pain swirled around him.

Fifty seven minutes later, her breathing evened out and felt a little heavier against him. Smiling into her hair, he held her close as she slept.

She'd been sleeping for two hours when Jasper heard Charlie pull up in the cruiser. As gently as he could, he shifted so he could lay Bella on the bed, detaching her arms from around his neck. She started shaking violently on the bed, her eyes flying open. Her fear was palpable.

"Calm down, darlin', I'm not going anywhere. Charlie's home, it's not a good idea for him to see me," he whispered, stroking her hair. "As soon as he's asleep, I'll be here. I promise you, Bella, I'm not going far. I'll be right outside."

She watched him with distrustful eyes as he regretfully opened the window, jumping out and climbing the tree. He settled himself against one of the upper branches, making sure he was completely invisible to the human eye. He could hear Bella shifting around in her room as Charlie closed the front door.

Pulling his cell out, he called Carlisle.

"Hello, Son. We're all here," Carlisle said as he answered the phone on the first ring. Jasper heard Esme, Emmett and Rose saying hello to him.

"It's bad, Carlisle. Really bad. She's a mess and it's entirely because we left."

"You've managed to speak to her, then?"

"Barely. You were right, she doesn't blame me for what happened on her birthday. She's far more observant than I ever gave her credit for. Her voice… Carlisle, it sounds like she hasn't spoken in months. When I asked her what happened, she told me, quote 'my family left me. Gone… gone… all gone.' After that, she broke down completely in my arms. She fell asleep after crying herself out, but when Charlie got home, I tried to put her in bed on her own, and she started shaking really badly and her fear… she was so scared I was leaving. I tried to assure her that I'd come back as soon as Charlie is asleep, but I can tell she doesn't believe me."

Jasper heard Esme crying softly, and Emmett was cursing Edward under his breath.

"What do you want us to do, Jasper? Should we come back?" Carlisle asked uncertainly. "I… Bella is our daughter in every way that matters, but it's become very clear that we've treated her disgracefully. We will do whatever it takes to help her get better."

"What about Edward?" Rose asked. She sounded angry, though Jasper couldn't tell if she was angry about them talking about Bella or angry with Edward for leaving her.

Rosalie was… honestly, she was one of Jasper's favourite people in the world. While others thought of her as hard and bitchy, Jasper knew that nobody loved as hard as she did, nor were many people as loyal to those they loved as she was.

She'd never hated Bella. Rather, she'd hated the situation Edward had put her in. The way Rose saw it, and she'd been proved correct, Bella was being set up for heartbreak. Edward was refusing to change Bella, but also wanted to keep her around.

"What about him?" Emmett growled.

"Edward will have to suck it up," Esme said unexpectedly. "He has caused this mess, and we will fix it. Bella deserves much better than what we've given her, and we will make it right. If Edward doesn't like it… that's his problem."

"We will do whatever Bella needs. Esme is right. We've treated her abominably, and whatever it takes to fix the mess we've left behind… we'll do it. Edward needs to learn that his actions have consequences," Carlisle agreed.

Jasper nodded along with the opinions of his family. "Do any of you know if Alice is aware of the situation?" he asked.

"We're not sure, Son. Why do you ask?"

"I just… I want to believe that she hasn't seen the way Bella is and ignored it, because Alice truly did love Bella. At the same time, if she did see Bella the way she is and did nothing about it… she's not the person I thought she was."

"Hang on," Rosalie murmured. Seconds later, I heard her say, "Hey Alice."

"Hey Rose," Alice trilled out, clearly on speaker phone.

"Alice, have you had any visions of Bella?" Carlisle asked, keeping his tone purposefully light.

Jasper heard Alice sigh softly. "Edward made me promise not to look for her. I… I wanted to search for her future so badly, just to make sure she would be happy but… thinking about Bella hurts. I miss her. Has… Carlisle, has something happened to Bella. I can't see her. She's… Carlisle?"

Jasper let out a sigh of relief.

"Alice, settle down. Bella is alive, Jasper is with her. She's… not good, but we're going to fix it. What do you mean that you can't see her?"

"I just get… it's like a cloudy fog. There's… nothing discernible at all."

"Hey darlin'," Jasper said, raising his voice slightly so it would travel through the phones.

"Jazz! What's wrong with her?"

"Did you see what happened when Edward broke up with her? I think that might have something to do with the state she's in."

"I'm sorry, Jazz. He asked me not to watch, so I didn't. I was trying to respect my brother's wishes."

She sounded like she would be crying if she could.

"It's not your fault, Ali. We'll fix this, I promise you. You'll see her again."

"I can fly home. I don't mind. If she needs me… I'll come home now."

"No," Jasper told her. "You're in Paris to find your mate. Stay on course for your own happiness, Darlin, we've got Bella covered. I'll tell her you love her and you'll see her soon, okay?"

"Ask her to call me, Jazz, I'd like to apologise to her. I've really messed up this time."

"We all have," Carlisle murmured. "Keep your eye on her future, Alice, and call us if you see anything."

"I will. Call me with any news. Tell her I'm sorry."

The call ended and Jasper couldn't stop himself from smiling slightly. Alice had just confirmed Edward's manipulations.

"I'll tear him into tiny pieces and feed him to a fucking lion," Emmett growled.

Jasper could tell the whole family was angry with Edward when Esme didn't scold Emmett for his language.

"I think Charlie is asleep," Jasper said, watching Bella's window. Her emotions were getting stronger with every passing minute. "I should go back to Bella."

"Find out what she want's us to do, Jazz," Rosalie whispered. "Whatever she wants. We'll find a way."

"What are the options I can offer her, Carlisle?" Jasper asked. The last thing he wanted was to make empty promises to the already broken girl.

"Any that you can think of is fine. We can come back, she can come to us, she can remain human or I'll change her. Anything she wants. Anything."

"Good," Jasper agreed. "I'll call you tomorrow with an update. Hopefully I'll be able to break through some of her barriers."

He put the phone down and slipped it into his pocket before sliding down the side of the tree. He sat at the window until she noticed him.

"May I come in?" he asked quietly. When she nodded, he pushed himself into her room, lowering the window closed behind him.

"You came back," she whispered, and he felt a sense of wonder around her.

"I promised I would," he replied, sitting on the end of her bed. She'd gotten changed while he'd been gone, and was now wearing an oversized t-shirt and shorts. He smiled at how innocent she looked.

"How… um… How long are you staying for?" she asked, and he was pleased to hear her voice was a little stronger.

"As long as you want me too," he replied immediately. Relief followed by disbelief, guilt and that dreaded self-hatred flowed from her. Confused by her emotions, Jasper shifted closer to her.

"Bella… come here, sweetheart," he murmured, opening his arms to her. She hesitated for a moment, before she threw herself back into his arms.

Moving until he was leaning back against the wall with her in his lap, he nudged her face with his finger until she was looking at him.

"We've got to talk, darlin', and I'm sorry but it might hurt a little. I promise, nothing you say will make me leave, and we are going to fix this, I swear to you. I am not going anywhere. Okay?"

When she nodded, albeit reluctantly, he smiled warmly at her.

"What happened when Edward told you we were leaving, darlin'?"

Her face paled so she was as white as he was, and her hand clutched at his shirt. He squeezed her tighter.

"Please sweetheart, I need to know what was said."

She cleared her throat. "Ed - Edward took me for a walk in the woods. He… he told me the family were leaving. He said… he said that I… that I wasn't good for him. That… that he didn't love me. He told me I was a distraction."

Jasper was holding onto his temper by a thread, but he was determined that he would comfort Bella. He could go and destroy a few tree's later.

"I asked… I told him I loved him. I asked about the… he said they, you, were already gone. He'd remained behind as a favor to me, to tell me in person. He… he left me in the forest. I tried to follow him, but he was gone. I got lost… I don't know how long it took them to find me."

Jasper rocked her against his chest, seeking comfort as much as he was offering it.

"I'm so, so, sorry, darlin'. If we'd known… I swear to you, Bella, Edward lied to us. Had we known what he said to you, we'd never have left. I… he… I'm sorry, Bella. So very sorry."

"I don't… understand," Bella admitted after a few minutes.

"We were still here when Edward spoke to you. He asked Alice not to watch the conversation and out of respect, she didn't. He told us that you understood the dangers of being around us, and you understood why we felt like we had to leave. He also told us that you requested we just go, that a clean break would be better for you. Edward has manipulated us all, sweetheart."

"I thought…"

She stopped herself, and Jasper frowned.

"What did you think, darlin'?"

"I thought you all hated me," she whispered, choked up. "I thought… I thought you'd just been… indulging me to pass the time."

"No, no, darlin'. We all love you very much, you hear me? We don't tend to get close to humans because of the danger, but you got right under our skin. You're smart, and beautiful, and we love you. Never, ever doubt that."

"I'm sorry I cut myself, Jasper. I never wanted to put you in any pain. I'm sorry… I'm sorry I wasn't good enough for him to want to keep me."

If he could cry, Jasper knew tears would be streaming from his eyes.

"You are worth so much more than Edward, darlin'. I can promise you that with absolute certainty. He isn't worth a second of your time, and he certainly isn't worth your tears. He is nothing compared to you."

He shifted her slightly so he could pull his cell phone out. Holding it out to her, she took it looking confused.

"In a few seconds, I can phone any of the members of our family, and their first question will be about you. Would you like to test my theory?"

She shook her head, handing him the phone back.

"I don't want to inconvenience anyone."

"You're not an inconvenience. Shall we call Alice? Or Carlisle? How about Emmett?"

She was shaking in his arms, and he stroked her hair.

"I know. Let's call Rose," he murmured, pressing his third speed dial. and putting it on speaker phone. Bella hid her face in his shirt, but he could tell she was listening.

Rosalie answered the phone on the third ring, and proved him right.

"Hey Jazz, how's Bella?"

Bella gasped.

"Bella? Is that you sweetheart?"

"Hi, Rosalie," Bella mumbled, moving her mouth away from Jasper's shirt enough that she could be heard.

"Oh, Bella. I'm so sorry for what Edward did to you. How are you feeling?"

"Uh…"

"She'll get there, Rosie," Jasper said quietly. "Are the others around?"

"Sure, do you want them?"

"Please," Jasper replied. Bella tried to bury herself deeper in his chest, and he dropped a kiss to her head. "It's alright, darlin'. They won't tell you anything I haven't already said."

"But… Edward said…"

"Edward was full of shit," Jasper replied. He would repeat himself as often as he needed until she believed him.

"Jasper?" Carlisle said as he arrived by the phone.

"Hey, Carlisle," Jasper replied easily.

"How is Bella? Bella? Are you there, sweetheart?"

Jasper smiled as Esme arrived, feeling the sudden surge of love from Bella. While he could still feel her negative emotions, they were lessening dramatically.

"Hi Esme," she whispered. "Hi, Carlisle."

"Sweetheart, we've missed you," Esme cooed into the phone.

"I missed you too," Bella murmured. "So much."

"Hey, Baby girl," Emmett said, his usually cheerful voice completely serious.

"Bear," Bella choked out, making Emmett chuckle sadly.

"Do you want us to come and get you. We can be there in a few hours," he offered.

"I… uh… Jasper, I don't…"

She was panicking. Jasper sent her a soothing wave of calm, tucking her back into his chest.

"We haven't talked about what's going to happen next yet, Em. I only really called to prove a point," Jasper admitted.

"Oh? What point?" Carlisle asked, intrigued.

"Bella seemed to be under the impression that she would be an inconvenience if she called you when I offered her my phone," Jasper told them, smiling despite himself when Bella frowned at him.

"Never," Carlisle replied immediately and certainly.

Jasper felt a rush of pleased embarrassment from Bella.

"We'll call you tomorrow," Jasper said with a smile.

"Okay. We love you both," Carlisle said, emphasising the word 'both.' When the others seconded the statement before Jasper put the phone down, Bella's emotions were going wild.

"Calm down, sweetheart, it's alright," Jasper soothed.

After a few minutes, Bella relaxed against him, and he smiled into her hair. They sat in silence for a while, but Jasper could feel Bella's curiosity rising. He waited her out, sure that eventually she would ask about whatever was bothering her. Sure enough, she sat up to look at him, though he noticed she kept a tight grip on his shirt.

"What did you mean, when you said we haven't talked about what happens next?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Exactly what I said," he replied, reaching out a hand to stroke her hair away from her face. "What happens next depends entirely on what you want."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why is about what I want? I… I don't want everyone stopping their lives to cater to me. I'm… I'm fine."

"The hell you are," he replied. "I can feel a lot of emotions from you, darlin', but 'fine' sure isn't one of them. You've never been less fine in your life. But that's okay. You have options to choose from, and you can talk to any of us about any fears you may have about any of them."

"Options?"

"Sure. Would you like to to explain them?"

"Please."

"Okay. First of all, you can remain here, and I will stay with you for as long as you want me. That stands for any of the options, by the way. Until you tell me you don't want me by your side, I'll stay. I promise. Second, the family, minus Edward will return to Forks until you're ready to leave for college or whatever you want to do. We'll come with you wherever you want to go.

Another option is… a little more macabre, I'm afraid. We'll fake your death, so you can disappear, and I'll take you to the new house. If you choose that option, your next decision, though you can make it whenever you want, there is absolutely no rush, is whether or not you want to remain human."

"But Edward -"

"Is a jackass," Jasper finished her sentence for her. "Who has no say in how you live your life. We made the mistake of following his wishes before, but we won't be doing it again. If you decide you want to change, Carlisle has already offered to do it whenever you want him too. Of course, if you choose to remain human, that is perfectly fine as well."

"Jasper… I… I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, darlin'. Like I said, there is no rush. Just know that we want you, and our choice would be to have you forever. Okay?"

Tears welled in her eyes again, though this time they were happy tears.

"We love you, sweetheart."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she sank into his embrace. He could feel that she was overwhelmed, and he moved gently until they were lay down at her pillow. Keeping an arm under her, he pulled her close, wrapping his other arm around her waist.

She settled into him, and sighed.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"You have nothing to thank me for, sweetheart. Go to sleep. We can talk when you wake up."


	3. Chapter 3

**Looky here, another chapter! I know I said I wasn't posting anymore yet, but... I'm enjoying the love, so I thought I'd spread it. Happy reading :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

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Jasper held Bella in his arms almost all night, taking a quick break to go hunting when Charlie got up. By the time Charlie was pulling out of the driveway to go fishing, Bella was back in his arms.

She slept for eleven hours, the previous lack of sleep and the emotional upheaval both being factors. When she woke, Jasper was very happy to see a spark of the old Bella back in her eyes.

"You stayed," she whispered, a smile lighting up her face.

"I left for a little while to hunt when Charlie got up," he admitted, smiling back at her.

She nodded. "But you came back."

"I promised. I never break my promises, Bella. I'll always be here, until you send me away."

She nodded.

"I… ah…"

"Go do your thing, darlin', I'll make you some breakfast."

"You don't have to -"

He raised his eyebrow at her and she giggled, scampering out of bed towards the bathroom. Chuckling quietly to himself, Jasper made his way down to the kitchen.

Thinking about how much weight Bella had lost and how withdrawn she was, he made her toast and poured some cereal. The last thing she needed was anything heavy. He knew she'd only throw it back up, after eating the bare minimum for as long as she had.

She joined him in the kitchen fifteen minutes later, looking much better than he'd seen her so far. When she sat down at the table, he dropped a kiss to her head.

"You look beautiful," he told her, putting the food down in front of her, and pouring a glass of orange juice.

Bella blushed, but thanked him quietly. He waited for her to eat, and followed her into the living room.

"Can we… Would you mind talking about what's going to happen next?" she asked, sitting down on the sofa.

He sat down beside her, shaking his head. "Of course not."

"I… uh… well. I mean, you haven't mentioned Alice. And she wasn't on the phone last night. So… uh…"

"She didn't know what Edward was up too. She's missed you just as much as the rest of us. Possibly more. Edward had her promise not to look for your future, and when we spoke to her last night, she admitted it was painful for her to think about you, because she misses you. When she tried to search for your future last night, she couldn't see anything."

"Am I… uh… why?"

"Carlisle thinks it might be because you were working on some sort of autopilot. Anyway, Alice is currently in Paris. She'll be meeting her mate there. Last night, she offered to miss him so she could come home to you."

Bella gasped, and Jasper grinned. "We love you, Bella."

"But I thought… I mean… you and Alice…"

He laughed. "You thought Alice and I were mates?"

When she nodded, he grinned. "It's a common misconception, and while we were both uncertain of our mates, it was useful. Alice is one of the most wonderful people I know, and she is absolutely my best friend. She always will be, and I'll always be her best male friend and favourite brother."

"Oh. So… I mean… when you said you'll always be… here… you… uh…"

"I meant it. There is nowhere I would rather be than here, Bella."

"Um. Thanks. When… How would faking my death work?"

He sighed, closing his eyes for a second.

"There are a few options. Suicide, as harsh as it sounds, would probably be the easiest to pull off. With the way you've been… I'm sorry, sweetheart, but it wouldn't be a hard sell. Another option would be an accident of sorts. Hunting, a car crash."

When Bella sighed, Jasper took her hand in his and squeezed it gently.

"I don't want to hurt Charlie," she admitted. "But I don't want to be here, either."

"If it was anyone else, I'd have suggested running away, but with him being Police Chief, it's just not feasible. I'm sorry, Bella."

"It's not your fault. If… How would I 'commit suicide'?"

"I'd drive your truck off a cliff into the ocean. You write a note. It wouldn't be overly surprising if they didn't find a body that way."

He stayed silent while she thought. Jasper could feel her emotions fluctuating again, this time between guilt, hope, remorse and longing.

"How long before we can do it?" she asked, looking at him.

"Whenever you're ready, darlin'."

"Today?"

"Are you sure, Bella? Don't rush into this. It can't be undone," Jasper warned, though he pulled her closer to him.

"I'm sure," she replied into his chest. "I can't… I don't want to be here anymore. All I see when I look around is Edward. He's… he's everywhere Jasper. In my room, in the kitchen, in my truck, at school. I thought that was what I wanted. That if I could picture him in the places I spent time, then he wouldn't really be… then he wouldn't really have left me. But…"

"But he did, and you know now how much he lied to us all."

She nodded.

"I always thought he… I don't know. I didn't know he could be so cruel as to take my family away from me without reason. And… I don't like that he hurt you. He uh… He won't be there, will he?"

"Absolutely not. If he was, Emmett would have torn him to pieces by now and Rosie would have set him on fire."

Bella suddenly looked aghast, shaking her head, and an overwhelming wave of self hatred rushed over her.

"Bella? Sweetheart, what's wrong? Come on, darlin', tell me what's the matter," Jasper begged.

"I… I…" She gasped out. "I don't… you can't all argue about me. I can't… I'm not worth that… not worth you fighting…"

Rubbing her arm comfortingly, Jasper smiled sadly. "You're worth much more than that, sweetheart. One day, I'll make you believe it. If it makes you feel better, you can forget I said it. Edward isn't with the family at the moment, and as far as we know, he has no plans to return any time soon."

She nodded, gulping in air as she fought to calm herself.

"Sorry," she murmured when she'd calmed down.

"No apologies."

"Do… Can we… I need to get out of here. Can we… Can we leave today?"

"If you're sure that's what you want."

A strong surge of determination flowed from her and she nodded. "I'll write him a letter. I… he deserves that much."

Jasper nodded, and she stood up to get a pen and some paper. He watched her write, rubbing her back and sending calming waves at her as she did.

While he could feel guilt and remorse coming off her, the resolve and determination to leave didn't waver once. He was… oddly proud of her for making her own decision.

Honestly, Jasper was confusing himself with his own need to make Bella happier. He'd always cared about her, had gravitated towards her, even when Edward was around and keeping him on a short leash, because her emotions had been so pure and refreshing to him.

Now that Edward wasn't here to ruin things, Jasper was enjoying being close to Bella, regardless of the negativity she was feeling towards her self. He would help her with that. He would build her confidence and self worth back up, until she saw herself the way he saw her.

Shaking the thoughts off, he decided to just enjoy her. He knew that when she was returned into the family fold, he would be lucky if she had any time for him at all. Emmett was her big brother, and Carlisle and Esme were the loving parents she'd always wanted. Rosalie would easily slot into the big sister post while Alice was away.

Where did that leave him?

"Done," she murmured, and he smiled at her.

"Would you mind reading it?" she asked quietly. "Just to make sure that I haven't written anything I shouldn't have?"

"If you want me to read it, I will," he replied, holding his hand out for the paper.

She handed it over, sinking back into the sofa.

Jasper looked down at the paper, unsurprised to find a few teardrops on it.

 _Dear Dad,_

 _I'm sorry for all the stress I've put you through over the last few months. There are so many excuses running through my mind right now, but you deserve the truth. When Edward left me, he took my soul with him._ _I know that may seem over-dramatic to you, and honestly, it probably would have to me too, had it been said by someone else. I don't know how else to describe it. Nothing seems right anymore._

 _Food doesn't have a taste, music makes me cringe inside. Everywhere I look, I see him there with me and now he isn't and I don't know how to deal with that. If I thought that seeing a shrink would help, I'd try it, but it won't._ _Talking about the problem will only make it worse. I know you think I've avoided it, but honestly dad, it's all I think about._

 _I tried. I tried so hard, dad, to be stronger for you. I just don't have the strength to keep trying and not getting any better._ _Please, don't be sad. By the time you read this, I'll be in a better place for me, and you'll have the peace of knowing that I'm happier. Know that I'll always love you. With everything I have left, I love you, dad._

 _So much._

 _Look after yourself for me. Don't work too much, and make sure you keep eating healthy, okay? If you can't do it for yourself, do it for me._ _You're stronger than me, dad, I know you can do it. Live for me. Find love. Laugh with your friends, and remember that wherever I am, you'll always be with me._

 _I love you, dad. Always._

 _Bella._

Jasper took a moment to collect himself. He could feel the honesty radiating from the words on the page, and he almost wished he hadn't read it. How close had Bella been to actually writing this note herself? How close had she been to giving up?

"Bella…"

"I've written that letter three times before, Jasper. Each time, I couldn't go through with hurting him. Each time, it was harder to resist the urge to stop feeling. To stop breathing."

"It's perfect, sweetheart. I hope he follows your advice."

She nodded. "He will. What I wrote was true. He's stronger than me."

He shook his head. "I don't believe that. The amount of pain you were feeling… you knocked me off my feet with it, darlin'. You're the strongest person I know."

She looked sad at his words. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"No apologies," he murmured, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her head. "Is there anything you absolutely can't live without?"

Bella nodded, scooting off the sofa and running upstairs. When she came down a few minutes later, she smiled sadly at him. He didn't see anything in her hands, but figured she had whatever it was she wanted and he wouldn't pry.

Standing up, Jasper reached for her hand again. "Come on then, darlin'. Let's hit the road."

He let her lead him from the house, and helped her into the driver's seat of the truck. When she was settled, he climbed in the other side, settling himself down in the foot well.

When she looked at him like he'd lost his mind, he smiled.

"People are going to see you driving, darlin'. They need to think you're alone."

She nodded in understanding and started the engine, pulling out of the drive. "Where should I go?"

"There are some cliffs by third beach at Kalaloch, do you know it?"

"Yeah, I think so. Just off where you used to live, right?"

When he nodded, she moved forward, driving carefully. He sat on the floor watching her, letting his calm flow off him towards her. It wasn't exactly the same as pushing emotion at her, as it was letting it surround her like a protective barrier.

When she arrived at the cliffs, Jasper took a quick glance around to make sure they were alone, then helped her from the truck.

"You're sure about this?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Would you mind if I carried you over to the woods. I'll come and get you in a few minutes, I just need you to stay out of sight. As soon as I see a car, I'm going to drive your truck off the edge," he murmured, nodding to the edge. "I'll be as quick as I can."

When she nodded her permission, he picked her up carefully and ran over to the woods, stopping just a few feet inside.

"Stay behind this tree," he told her. "You'll still be able to see me, but no one will see you. If you need me, just say my name. I'll hear you."

She nodded again, and he kissed her head. "I'll be back as soon as it's done."

Running back to the truck, he let the engine run, tapping his hand impatiently against the steering wheel. It took thirty five minutes for any witnesses to arrive and when they did, they arrived in the form of students from Forks High, driving down the same dirt track Bella had.

Gunning the engine, Jasper felt the truck fly off the edge of the cliff before it started plummeting towards the water. He was out before it hit, and he swam underwater until he would be out of sight emerging on the other side of the cliff.

Climbing it quickly, he ran through the forest back to Bella's side. She was waiting for him patiently, tears streaming from her eyes. He wanted nothing more than to hug her, but he was soaking. Pulling his shirt off, he tucked it into the back of his trousers.

"I'm going to have to run us, Bella. I'm sorry, I should have thought to fetch extra clothes with me."

"It's fine. Do you… is there anything left of yours at your old house?"

When he nodded, she smiled. "Then go there first."

Jasper sighed. He wanted fresh dry clothes so Bella would be more comfortable, but he didn't want to put her through the pain of going back to where he ruined her life.

"Jasper, I never blamed you," she murmured.

When he looked at her, shocked, she let out a tiny chuckle.

"Honestly. I'll be fine," she whispered.

Not seeing any other option, Jasper nodded.

He picked Bella up carefully, making sure she wasn't touching him anywhere but his arms, and ran with her out in front of him. They arrived at the Cullen house in minutes.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked, setting her down outside.

She'd paled slightly, but she nodded. "Go get changed," she told him. "I'm good."

He ran into the house and up the stairs, hearing her follow him inside at a slower pace. She remained in the living room and he was down stairs, dry and in fresh clothes, before a full minute had passed. She'd pulled the dust sheet off the piano and was staring at it with a pained expression.

"Are you okay, darlin'?"

She nodded, forcing herself to look at Jasper. "I don't understand what he got out of lying to me. If he didn't want me, why didn't he just leave me alone?"

Jasper sighed. "I wish I had an answer for you, darlin'. Honestly though, even though I'd do anything to take away the pain he caused you, I'm not sorry he brought you into the family. All of our lives are better for having you in them."

"Thanks, Jazz. Can we go home, now?"

Jasper smiled. It was the first time she's ever shortened his name, and he really liked hearing it from her mouth.

"I thought you'd never ask. We can take Edwards Vanquish, or I can run us to Seattle and we'll buy us a car. Which would you prefer?"

"I don't want anything to do with anything of Edward's anymore," she replied, sounding certain. "Would you mind carrying me?"

"Never," he replied with a smile, picking her up. "Wrap your arms and legs around me, darlin'."

She did as he bid, and he put one hand under her to keep her steady and the other on her back. When she snuggled into his neck, he smiled and kissed her hair.

"Let's go find a car."

* * *

Jasper grinned as he drove the black Chevrolet pick-up Bella had picked out. It had taken a bit of persuading for her to choose the car, but when he insisted, she'd immediately pointed to it.

They'd been on the road for thirteen hours, and apart from a few stops for Bella's human needs, they hadn't stopped. He'd offered to book them into a hotel for the night, but she seemed quite content to lie against him in the front seat.

Not that he was complaining.

They were heading to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the family had decided to settle for a few years. It was a long drive, but they were making good time.

His phone rang, and he reached for it quickly not wanting to wake Bella. When she shifted and opened her eyes, he cursed under his breath.

He answered the phone, putting it on speaker and leaving it on the dash.

"Jazz?"

"Hey Alice," Jasper replied, smiling at Bella, who was pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"Is Bella there?"

"Hi, Alice," Bella whispered, her voice rough with sleep.

"Bella! I am so sorry, Bella. So, so, sorry. Please forgive me? If I'd known what was going on, I'd have never allowed it to happen, I swear."

"Jasper explained, Alice. I understand. I miss you," Bella replied, reaching out a hand to take Jaspers. He squeezed gently.

"Oh, Bella, I miss you so much. I'll see you in a few months, I swear… unless you need me. If you need me, I'll come home. You've just got to say the word and I'll be on the next flight."

"Jasper told me you're there to find your mate. Stay where you're supposed to be, Alice. I'll still be here when you've found him."

"If you need anything, anything at all, Bella, you know where I am. Jazz, you need to get her a phone when you get to Pittsburgh."

"Will do. Carlisle is probably already on it actually," Jasper replied.

Alice paused then laughed. "He is. You'll be there in a little over a day, unless you stop at a hotel."

"We're probably not going to stop, Alice. Bella is as stubborn as she always was," Jasper joked.

"Good. I have to go. I miss you both," Alice trilled out, ending the call.

Bella smiled. "I really have missed her," she admitted quietly.

"I know, sweetheart," Jasper murmured as she leant against his side. He leant over the dash, pressing the speed dial for Carlisle.

"Hello," Carlisle answered, and Jasper could hear how happy he sounded. Esme was singing in the background.

"Hey Carlisle," Jasper greeted. "We just spoke to Alice, and we're a little over a day away, since Bella doesn't want to stop at a hotel."

"Good. It'll be good to have you both home. How is Bella?"

"I'm okay," Bella replied quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetheart. I thought you might be asleep."

"It's fine," she murmured, her eyes drooping.

"How is the drive going?" Carlisle asked, his tone lowered. Jasper supposed he could hear the tiredness in Bella's voice.

"It's perfect," Jasper replied, running his hand through Bella's hair. "Bella chose an awesome Chevy pick-up in Seattle. Emmett will be drooling over it."

Carlisle chuckled.

"Everyone is looking forward to seeing you both," he said, sobering slightly. "How much of a shock are we in for Jasper?"

His voice had been lowered so much that Bella wouldn't have heard him even if she was still awake. As it was, she'd already fallen back to sleep against him.

"She's lost a lot of weight," he admitted. "She's more withdrawn than she ever was before, and she's timid. Random things can set off panic attacks, and she's still very sad when she thinks about Edward. She seems to be adjusting well, and you wouldn't believe the difference in her now if you'd seen her when I first arrived. Other than that… I think we're just going to have to wait and see."

"Do you think she'll allow me to give her a physical when you get here?"

"I think you should wait a few days, honestly. She'd let you, but… We're going to have to be really careful with what we ask her to do, Carlisle. I think she'd do anything for fear that if she refuses, we're going to leave her."

Carlisle cursed softly under his breath. "Edward really did a number on her, didn't he?"

"He did. I'm going to ask her to tell you what he said to her when we arrive. I don't really want her to have to relive it again, but I also think that you all need to hear it from her. I… I hate to ask, but would you mind if I projected the pain she was feeling on you? It won't feel good, but you all need to understand. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was necessary."

"Of course. I'm sure the others will agree as well, if only so we have some idea of the damage we caused."

Jasper shook his head. "We didn't cause it. Edward did. She won't let anyone feel guilty for anything she doesn't think that can be blamed for. Trust me on that one."

Laughing again, Carlisle murmured, "She's amazing, isn't she?"

"Truly," Jasper agreed.

"Alright, Son. Drive safe, and we'll all be here when you arrive."

"See you soon, Dad," Jasper murmured, ending the call.

Looking down at the sleeping girl, Jasper smiled. No matter his fears of her not needing him when they arrived in Pittsburgh, he was looking forward to getting her home. The love that would surround her from the family would be a better medicine than anything a doctor could prescribe.

He knew it would be enough for him to see her happy again. He only hoped she'd have room for him to enjoy it along with her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Running around the car to help Bella from her seat, Jasper could feel the nerves radiating from her. Sending her some calm, he smiled at her.

"Don't be nervous, darlin', they love you," he whispered, lifting her down. When she slid her hand in his, he squeezed it gently.

"Will you stay with me?" she asked, looking from him to the house and back again.

"Until you send me away," he promised.

Jasper thought his heart would burst when she rolled her eyes and murmured, "Never."

Opening the door, Jasper led them into the huge foyer, unsurprised to find Carlisle and Esme waiting for them. He saw a flash of horrified pain cross both of their faces, before they walked forwards slowly.

Esme reached for Bella, smiling brightly when Bella let go of Jasper's hand long enough to settle into the embrace. Once Esme was done, she handed Bella over to Carlisle who lifted her gently into a hug, welcoming her home.

When Carlisle released Bella, she automatically backed up to Jasper, putting her hand back in his.

"Where's Rosie and the lug?" Jasper asked, making Bella giggle.

"Waiting in the sitting room. We didn't want to overwhelm Bella as soon as she arrived home," Esme said kindly, smiling at Bella.

"Thank you," Bella whispered.

"You ready to go see them, darlin'?" Jasper asked, smiling encouragingly when Bella nodded.

He led the way into the living room, smiling when he saw Rose and Emmett feigning calm on the sofa. They both stood up at human speed, making Jasper chuckle. They seemed to have forgotten that Bella was used to Vampires.

"Hey, Baby girl," Emmett said, crouching down in front of Bella.

Letting go of Jasper's hand again, she threw herself into Emmett's arms.

"Bear," she whispered into his neck. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Baby Bell. You're home now," he whispered back, stroking her hair. "You'll never be able to get rid of us now."

"Good," Bella replied, almost too quietly for even vampires to hear her.

When she'd had her fill of hugging Emmett, Bella moved back to Jasper's side. Rosalie smiled at the sight.

"Hey, sweetheart," she said quietly.

"Hi, Rosalie," Bella replied, looking uncertain.

Rose walked forward, stopping in front of Bella. Taking Bella's hand, she said, "I am so sorry for how I treated you. Please believe me when I say I only did it to try and dissuade you from staying with Edward. I always knew you were far too good for him, and I wanted you to realise it too. While I know I can't ask for your forgiveness, I hope you'll allow me to try and make it up to you."

Bella stood gaping at Rosalie for a moment, before she shook her head. "There's nothing to forgive and nothing to make up for. Please don't feel guilty, Rosalie, you did nothing wrong."

"Family calls me Rose or Rosie," she replied after a minute, pulling Bella into a gentle hug.

When the hugs were done, Jasper wrapped his arm around Bella. "Would you like to catch up with the family, or do you want to take a shower while I sort you out some food first?"

"Shower, please," Bella murmured.

He could feel her getting overwhelmed, so he picked her up, smiling when she automatically wrapped her arms and legs around him.

"Care to show us to Bella's room, Mommy dearest?" Jasper asked, feeling Bella giggle into his neck.

Esme rolled her eyes, but smiled indulgently. "Of course."

When she started walking at a human pace, Jasper clicked his tongue.

"Speed up, Mother, anyone would think you were an old woman!"

Bella laughed again, and Jasper saw Carlisle, Emmett and Rose smile at the sound. Running up the stairs behind Esme, they arrived in a room that screamed Bella. Jasper grinned.

"Look around at your new room, darlin," he whispered, helping Bella to climb down. He felt the wonder and gratitude coming off her in spades.

"It's… perfect," she whispered. Esme's eyes filled with venom at the praise and Jasper's grin widened. The room really was perfect for Bella. Esme had painted a night sky onto the ceiling, complete with built in lights for the stars. The carpet was midnight blue while the walls were decorated with a beautifully patterned beige wallpaper.

The furniture, including a desk and a dressing table, were all dark wood, and the bedspread was midnight blue to match the carpets.

"Thank you, Esme, so much. I love it."

"You're very welcome, sweetheart. Your bathroom is just through that door, and there are a few outfits in the chest of drawers for you. We thought you might want to choose your own clothes, so we didn't buy too many. Rose can take you shopping if you'd like, or you can order online."

"Thank you," Bella said again.

Jasper pressed a kiss to her head and smiled at her.

"Take your shower, darlin, I'll go and make you some food. Just call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks, Jazz," she replied, walking into the bathroom. Esme followed him from the room, leaving the door open a crack.

"She's lost so much weight," Esme whimpered as they walked down the stairs together at a human pace. The others were waiting for them in the kitchen.

Jasper walked to the fridge, unsurprised to find it fully stocked. He pulled out the ingredients for a sandwich and smiled at Rose when she handed him the bread.

"She's a lot quieter than she was," Emmett observed looking sad. "She seem's so… scared."

"She is, but not of us. She's scared of being abandoned," Jasper replied, keeping an ear on Bella's room. He wanted her to have some privacy, but was worried that if he wasn't paying attention, he would miss it if she said his name.

"How is her eating going," Carlisle asked.

"She's eating small things five or six times a day, and I've been making sure to keep her well hydrated. She's doing well, all things considered," Jasper answered.

He gestured to the sandwich he was making. "She'll likely only eat half of this for now, but she'll pick at it over the course of about an hour and finish it."

"I'm very proud of the way you're taking care of her, son," Carlisle said, patting his shoulder.

Jasper just nodded, taking a bottle of water from the fridge and along with the sandwich, he put them on the coffee table in the lounge.

"Don't show that you're paying attention to her eating. It makes her self conscious and she stops," he told them, sitting in a large armchair. Rose and Emmett retook the seats on the smaller couch, and Esme and Carlisle sat on the other one.

Emmett turned the tv on, putting the sound on low. Jasper nodded approvingly. It would give Bella a distraction if she wanted one.

A few minutes later, he heard her walking slowly down the stairs.

"Jasper?"

"We're in the living room, darlin," he called out, and she walked in a few seconds later. Her hair was still damp, and she was wearing sweatpants and an oversized baseball t-shirt. She looked at the seating arrangement with unease, and for a moment, Jasper felt guilty.

"Come here, sweetheart," he murmured, patting his knee.

Gratitude flooded from her, and he smiled. Picking up the water and the sandwich, he put them on the arm of the chair, and slid her onto his lap, wrapping his arm around her. She settled comfortably against him, her legs tucked up in between his.

The vampires kept a subtle eye on her as she ate half of her sandwich, while they pretended to watch the tv. Carlisle and Esme started talking about some book Carlisle was reading, and Jasper felt Bella relax.

He hated to ruin it, but as she finished eating, he knew he had to ask her to tell them what Edward had said to her. He also wanted her to witness what her pain would do to a vampire, but he wasn't sure if that would be too much for her.

Nuzzling against her hair, he nudged her head to get her attention.

"Would you mind telling the other's what you told me about what Edward said to you in the forest, sweetheart?"

He felt a brief spark of pain, and he closed his eyes feeling guilty. He was surprised when the pain was instantly replaced with affection, and he opened his eyes to see Bella looking at him, her eyes soft.

"Can't you tell them?" she asked quietly. "I don't want to… be mean about their son, or anything."

"It's not being mean, darlin'. All I want you to do, is tell them exactly what you told me about what happened the day Edward left. You don't have to if you don't want to, there's no rush. We're not going anywhere, and let's face it, we've got all the time in the world," he added, poking her lightly in the ribs and smiling when she laughed.

"Just the bit in the forest?" she clarified, and Jasper nodded.

She struggled for a few seconds before she found her voice again. Keeping her eyes on Jasper, she started to talk. Jasper stroked her hand to keep her calm.

"The day he left, Edward asked me to walk in the woods with him. When we stopped, he told me that the family was leaving Forks. I asked him when we were leaving and he clarified that the family was leaving, not me. He told me that I wasn't good for him, and that -"

She broke off, gasping for breath. Jasper rubbed her back soothingly, pushing calm at her. "It's alright, darlin, you're doing so well. Calm down."

She nodded.

"He told me that I wasn't good for him, and that he didn't love me. He told me I was just a distraction from the monotony of Vampire life. I told him I loved him but… I asked about the family and he said you'd already left, that he'd stayed behind to tell me in person. He left me standing in the forest, but I tried to follow him. I got lost and fell over… I don't know how long it took the search party Charlie had out to find me."

Taking a deep breath, Bella fell into Jasper's chest and hid her tears in his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her, looking at his family.

Carlisle and Esme both looked devastated as they watched Bella cry. Rosalie looked like she couldn't decide between crying along with Bella or destroying something. Emmett looked ready to kill.

"Calm down," Jasper murmured, as though talking to Bella, but he directed it at Emmett, who swallowed and nodded.

When Bella calmed down, Jasper got her attention again.

"I've got one more thing to ask you, sweetheart, but I promise, you won't have to do anything, and I won't do it unless you agree."

She looked up at him, her eyes questioning. He could feel her curiosity.

"I want to show them the pain you were feeling when just before I spoke to you. They need to understand what it did to you when we left," he murmured.

She shook her head.

"You said it put you on your knees. I don't want to hurt them, Jazz."

"I'll only do it for a few seconds, ten at most. They want to understand sweetheart, and this is the easiest way for me to show them."

"If you do it to them, you do it to me too," she bargained.

"You carried it for months," he argued, but she just raised her eyebrow at him.

"Fine. I'll do it to you first, then I'll do it to them. Deal?"

She nodded.

"Stand up, darlin'."

When she did so, he thought back to the pain she'd been feeling when he first saw her again and pushed it into her. He hated himself when he saw the dead look instantly return to her eyes as her shoulders dropped. He held it for a few seconds, before he pulled it back slowly, catching her in his arms when she fell forward sobbing.

Pushing all his love and affection for her in her direction, he rocked her in his arms until she calmed down. The others looked horrified and he hadn't even done it to them yet.

"Who want's to go first?" he asked, once Bella was settled back on his lap. Her eyes were drooping, and he held his hand up to his family for a second.

"Sweetheart, do you want to go and take a nap?"

When she nodded sleepily against his chest, he picked her up bridal style and ran up the stairs. Lying her down on the bed, he smiled when she looked up at him.

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course. I'll stay with you after if you want me too," he replied, gently blowing her hair off her face.

She shook her head. "I don't want to be there when they feel what I felt. They'll think I'm pathetic."

"That is the last thing they'll think, but I'll let them tell you themselves later. Go to sleep, sweetheart. Call for me when you wake up, alright?"

She nodded, her eyes drifting closed. He waited until her hand loosened on his shirt, and carefully got off the bed. She looked so small in the large bed, and he tucked the blanket in around her. Careful not to wake her, he kissed her head and left the room, walking at human pace to give himself a moment.

It was hard, remembering the pain she was in, especially now when she was so much better. Even though she was far from being content, the change was still enough that he was exceedingly grateful for it.

Entering the living room, Jasper retook his seat and sighed.

"Carlisle?"

"I'm ready," Carlisle said, standing up.

Jasper gestured to the empty space in the room. When Carlisle raised his eyebrow, Jasper nodded.

"Humor me."

When he was standing where Jasper directed him to, Jasper sent him all the pain that Bella had been feeling. Carlisle's reaction was much the same as his own. He slowly slid to his knees, one hand clutching at his chest, the other wrapping around his stomach.

After a few seconds, Jasper let it up, replacing it with warmth and affection. Carlisle dropped his hands to his knees, leaning over, panting hard. When he looked up, his eyes were pained.

"How is she still alive?" he asked almost silently.

Taking a deep breath, Carlisle got up and returned to his seat, closing his eyes as he sat back.

"Esme, I suggest you remain sitting down," Jasper advised. He really didn't want his mother figure to feel the pain, but he knew it was important that they felt it.

She refused, standing in the same place Carlisle and Bella had before her.

Jasper sent her the pain, and within two seconds, Esme was curled up in a ball on the floor, dry sobbing loudly. Cutting the emotions, Jasper overloaded her with love and happiness, hating to see her like that. Carlisle helped her up and led her back to the couch.

Rosalie went next and then Emmett, neither of them managing to stay on their feet. Rose got the same dead look in her eyes that Jasper recognised from Bella, and Emmett's reaction was much the same as Jasper's.

The four of them sat staring at Jasper in shock, before they all looked in the direction of Bella's bedroom.

"How did she survive that for months?" Esme asked, guilt and sorrow flowing from her in waves.

Shrugging, Jasper stood up. The emotions in the room were draining him. "When I fetch Bella back down, we're going to need to talk to her. Did you hear what she said to me when I took her upstairs?"

When they all shook their heads, Jasper told them.

"She thinks we'll find her pathetic?" Esme asked in shock.

Jasper nodded.

"She's more damaged than I think even she realises. It's going to take a long time to build her back up, but let me tell you one thing. If Edward even thinks about coming back while she's still human, I'll have a lighter to his arse faster than he can say mind reader. When he does come back, if she's been changed, I'll sit back and watch her tear him to pieces herself."

"She won't," Rosalie disagreed, her voice hollow. "No matter the pain he's put her through, Bella won't raise a hand, or a lighter, to Edward because she'll fear rejection from the family if she does."

Jasper sighed, already knowing Rose was right.

"Then we'll just have to make sure she know's that won't happen," Emmett said fiercely. Jasper was somewhat surprised to see Esme and Carlisle nodded.

Carlisle noticed Jasper's surprise.

"As much as I hate to believe that my first real companion in this life could do such a heinous thing, what he's done to my daughter can not go unpunished. If I wasn't fearful of what it would do to the family, I'd turn him over to the Volturi myself."

"That he could do such a thing is… beyond anything I ever expected of Edward," Esme added. "His gift gives him the advantage of being able to tell whoever he is speaking too exactly what they want to hear. He's been manipulating this family for years, we just didn't realise it. When he comes back, we'll deal with him. He'll never hurt our baby girl again."

Jasper nodded, pleasantly surprised, and turned to exit the room. Turning back, he told them, "While I am glad to know that Edward will be dealt with, and I'm also glad that you'll all show your support to Bella, please keep the violent thoughts to yourself. When I mentioned something in passing about Rose and Emmett tearing him up, she had a panic attack about the family arguing over her. She believes herself unworthy. So… keep it to yourself. At least for now."

When they all agreed, Jasper left the room. Flitting out the back door into the forest, he quickly bagged himself two deer, then returned to the house, showering and changing before he slipped into Bella's room.

Settling himself on the bed beside her, he was happy when she turned over in her sleep, settling herself into his side.

"Love you, Jazz," she sighed, wrapping her arm around his waist.

Gathering her in his arms, he inhaled her scent and closed his eyes, closer to sleep than he'd been in almost one hundred and fifty years.

"I love you, Bella."


	5. Chapter 5

**So... I had a schedule, and then I remembered that I have work and December will be madness. So you'll get updates as soon as I have them :P**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

* * *

Bella woke up slowly, stretching her arms out above her head. Jasper loosened his grip on her, smiling when she grinned up at him.

"What time is it?" she asked, nuzzling her head against his chest.

"Almost ten. You slept for quite a while," he replied rearranging himself so he was half sitting up.

She nodded. "My sleep pattern is… off."

"Completely understandable. Your body needs to recover from your trauma," he murmured. "Are you hungry?"

She nodded. "A little."

"Come on then, munchkin, let's go find you some food," he said, picking her up piggyback style.

"Munchkin?" she asked, and he could feel the amusement radiating from her.

"You're tiny… and… um… yeah. You're tiny."

She laughed. "But I'm not orange…"

"I'll think of a nickname for you, darlin', you just wait," he replied, jogging down the stairs. Esme was in the kitchen, and she smiled at them when they walked in.

Keeping Bella on his back, he tilted his head back to look at her.

"What do you want to eat?"

She shrugged, looking shyly between him and Esme.

"Ice cream?" he offered. "Pancakes… Waffles?"

"I can fix you something, if you'd like, sweetheart," Esme offered, opening the fridge.

Leaning down so Bella could get off his back, Jasper nudged her side. "Why don't you show me how you hunt?" he murmured, making her giggle.

She nodded, and Jasper winked at Esme. He watched Bella make herself a sandwich, and while she ate it, he pulled out a bowl and scooped in some chocolate ice cream for her, adding in a variety of wafers and sauce.

He laughed when her eyes lit up.

"Thanks, Jazz," she murmured. He led her into the living room, and within a few minutes, the rest of the family joined them.

"Did you have a good sleep, sweetheart?" Carlisle asked, leaning over to kiss Bella's cheek before he joined Esme on the sofa.

Bella nodded, smiling self-consciously at him. She ate her ice cream slowly, Jasper rubbing small circles on her back.

"Bella, we all have a few things to say to you, and there are a few things you need to understand. When we left Forks, it hurt all of us," Carlisle started. Bella stiffened slightly, but otherwise didn't react adversely to the conversation topic.

"We honestly thought that you'd asked us not to say goodbye. At the time, we had no reason to mistrust Edward, and as far as we were concerned, he was only leaving to keep you safe. We're all terribly sorry for not double checking with you, but please, please understand that we never wanted to leave you. We love you. All of us love you."

A few tears escaped Bella's eyes, and she placed the half eaten ice cream on the table. Leaning into Jasper, she let him wipe away her tears, while she tried to think of what to say.

"I… I never blamed any of you. Edward was… is… your son. I just thought… I guess I wondered why you didn't come and say goodbye."

"Edward may be our son, but you are and always have been, our daughter. We did you a huge disservice with our actions. Please know that we're going to do everything we can to make it up to you," Carlisle replied, holding out his hand for her to take.

When she did so, he smiled.

"We have something for you, something I had made before we ever thought about leaving Forks. You don't have to wear it, but I'd be honoured if you did," he told her, handing over a small wrapped box.

She took it carefully, looking nervously at the wrapping paper.

Understanding the problem, Jasper held his hand out for the box.

"May I?" he asked, and she nodded, gratitude flowing from her to him.

In one smooth move, he pulled the wrapping paper away from the box and handed it back to her. She opened it and gasped.

Nestled in the satin box was a delicate silver necklace with a pendant hanging from it. On the pendant was the Cullen crest.

"Turn it over, sweetheart," Esme said quietly.

When Bella did as she was told, tears once more filled her eyes. Jasper grinned at the happy emotions coming from her.

Engraved on the back of the pendant was her name; _Isabella Marie Cullen._

She took it from the box with shaking fingers, and held it out to Carlisle. For one heartbreaking moment, the family stopped breathing, thinking that she wasn't accepting, but then she took a deep breath.

"Would you… help me put it on?" she asked.

The smile on Carlisle's face lit up the room, and Jasper basked in the love and affection flowing from everyone.

When the pendant was hanging from Bella's neck, she rested her hand over it. Her eyes still on Carlisle, she whispered, "Thanks… dad."

"You're very welcome, sweetheart. Since, technically, Isabella Swan is now dead, we've had some new documents made for you," he told her, handing over a file. "I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of giving you my name."

Inside the file, Bella found a driving licence, passport and birth certificate, all under the name of Isabella Marie Cullen.

"Thank you," she repeated, resting them on her lap.

"I also have a new cell phone for you, with all of our numbers already programmed, along with Alice's. You're on my family plan, so you can use it as much as you'd like. Of course, we'll all be here for the majority of the time, so you can just talk to us."

She nodded, and Jasper could feel her getting overwhelmed again. Deciding to change the conversation to something he was intrigued about, he nudged her side. When she looked at him, he saw her eyes soften and she smiled.

"Do you remember what I said to you when we were talking about your options?"

When she frowned, he elaborated.

"I just wondered if you had any thoughts on whether you'd like to remain human or if you'd like to be changed. Remember, this is just an inquiry, there is no rush for you to make a decision and we will all respect whatever you choose to do."

She sighed, leaning into his chest.

"I don't know. I… I only ever wanted to be changed, because I thought I wanted to be with Edward for eternity. I was never interested in the speed, or the strength or the almost immortality. I guess… I don't know."

"If I may offer another side?" Rosalie offered hesitantly.

Bella nodded.

"While I'll be the first to admit that I wouldn't have chosen this life for myself, I can't help but feel like perhaps… perhaps you were made for it. You have to understand, you didn't react to us the way other humans would. Sure, they don't necessarily run away screaming from us because we're somewhat more civilised than other vampires, but humans instinctively shy away from us. You… regardless, you're an important part of our family, but… to have you here for however many years you live, and to then lose you would be… indescribable.

Not least because it's been a few months since we saw you last and this is honestly the first time since we left Forks that we've been happy.

I don't want to put any additional pressure on you, Bella, because this choice should be yours and yours alone, but just… taking Edward entirely out of the equation, you still have a family who loves and wants you forever."

Everyone stared at Rosalie in shock for a second, before Bella got up off Jasper's knee and walked across the room, hugging Rose as tight as she could.

"Thank you," she whispered into Rose's shoulder. "Thank you for wanting to keep me."

"Always," Rose replied, returning the embrace.

When Bella returned to Jasper's knee, she caught his eye. "What about you, Jazz? What do you think?"

He hesitated.

"I want you to make your own decision… but… speaking from my own perspective, I'd want you to change. It's only been a few days, but already… I can't imagine spending a day away from you ever again," he whispered.

She shivered when she felt his breath on her ear.

"If… If I changed… Would you still stay with me?"

"Until you send me away," he replied. "Human or Vampire, you'll always be Bella. I won't leave you."

"Can you tell me more about the change, and what happens after? Edward told me that newborns are… different."

"I won't lie to you, darlin'. The change itself is incredibly painful, beyond anything I can describe. It lasts for around three days, give or take a couple of hours. Newborns… unfortunately, Edward was correct that newborns are different to us. For the first year, the majority of your thoughts will center on blood.

After that year, we would help you acclimatise yourself slowly, and we'll help you learn the control to be around humans without wanting to drain them."

"You wouldn't let me hurt anyone, right? I don't want to hurt anyone."

"We'd never let you do anything that would hurt you. I'll be by your side every step of the way, and we'll keep you safe, and everyone else safe by extension," he assured her.

She nodded, and Jasper could feel her acceptance. He was about to say something else, when the acceptance stopped suddenly, and she was filled with pain again. When she hid her face in his shirt, he rubbed her back.

"What's wrong, darlin'?"

"What happens when Edward comes back?" she asked weakly.

If they hadn't been vampires, none of them would have heard the words. Rose closed her eyes, leaning back into the sofa, while Emmett grimaced, anger filling him again. Esme and Carlisle exchanged stricken looks.

"When Edward comes back, we will deal with him," Jasper replied, his tone quiet but certain. "I know you don't want us to argue with him, but honestly sweetheart, it's inevitable. What he did, not only to you but to the family as a whole, is abhorrent. He broke your heart, broke your spirit, and he forced us to play a hand in that by lying to us. That's not something that any of us are willing to just brush under the carpet."

She looked up at him slowly, and he could both see and feel her confusion.

"But I'm not that important," she whispered.

"That's where you are wrong," Carlisle told her. "I'd thank you not to put yourself down like that, Isabella. You are our daughter, in every way that matters. That makes you just as important as every other member of our family."

"Sweetheart, just listen to me for a minute, okay?" Jasper murmured, caressing her cheek.

When she nodded, Jasper lifted her up gently, setting her in the chair by herself. Standing in the middle of the room, he pointed at Rosalie.

"Let's do some roleplay for a second, alright? Emmett, come sit with Bella, and put your arm around her."

Emmett did as he was bid, sitting on the arm of the chair and draping his arm over Bella's shoulders.

"So, Bella, you've been a vampire for years, Emmett's your mate, and you've been part of the family since your newborn phase. Okay?"

When Bella nodded, Jasper grinned.

"Rose is a human who was brought into the family by Edward. They dated for a few months, before Edward decided he didn't want any part of it anymore, and he left Rosalie to her own devices, taking away her family in the process."

Bella nodded again, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"If you saw Rose in the state I found you in, thinking the way that you've been thinking, feeling the way you've been feeling, how would you feel about Edward's actions?"

She sighed. "I understand what you're saying, Jasper, but -"

"Answer the question, darlin'."

"I'd want to rip him apart and set him on fire," she whispered.

"Louder."

"I'd want to rip him apart and set him on fire," she repeated, and she sounded more sure of herself.

When Jasper grinned, she nodded at him, and he felt a shift in her emotions. Bounding back over to the chair, he pushed Emmett of the arm with a playful growl and picked Bella up, spinning her around happily before sitting back down with her nestled comfortably back in his lap.

"I… Thank you," she murmured, nuzzling into his neck.

"You will always, _always_ , come first," he replied. "I want you to remember that whenever you're feeling down. You deserve to be treated with love and respect, and Edward is a waste of life to ever make you feel differently. He doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as you."

"If… When I change…"

She trailed off, but not before the family noticed the change of words.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Carlisle asked.

"You will all stay, right? I mean… all of you?"

"We're going nowhere without you, Bella. We promise," Esme assured her.

"It'll take three days?" she clarified.

"About that," Jasper nodded. The same determination he'd felt when she was writing her 'suicide note' was flowing off her in waves and he was hard pressed to stop himself leaping out of the chair and doing a happy dance around the living room.

"You should hunt tonight, Jazz," she murmured. "If you don't mind… I'd… I'd like you to stay with me. While it happens."

"I won't leave your side," he promised, kissing her cheek. "You know there's no rush, right?"

She shrugged lightly. "I don't really see much point in waiting any longer. It's going to happen regardless of timing, so… why wait?"

Rose cleared her throat. "I can think of a reason to delay it for a little while. Bella, would you mind coming with me for a moment?"

Bella nodded, standing up and following Rose from the room. Jasper frowned after her, before looking at Carlisle who seemed to have a dawning understanding of what was going on.

"Rose is correct. It's… Let her speak to Bella first. I'm sure one of them will explain when they come back."

Bella followed Rosalie into the garden, wrapping her arms around herself to protect herself from the breeze.

"Oh, sorry sweetheart," Rose murmured, shrugging off her jacket and handing it to Bella. "We're far enough now that they can't hear us. I don't want to pry, but this is important, I promise. Have you ever… Are you still a virgin, Bella?"

When Bella blushed crimson, Rosalie chuckled. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. I only ask, because if you change before you break your hymen, it'll have to be broken every time you have sex, and it really wouldn't be comfortable."

"Oh… um. I had a bike accident… it's already… it's not…"

"It's already broken?"

Bella nodded.

Rose smiled. "Then I agree that there's no point in waiting. We'll leave the shopping until you wake up, okay? Your figure will change slightly from the venom, so we'll have to get your sizing's before we can order your clothes."

"I… thank you, Rose. For… everything. I never really had any real friends before I moved to Forks. It's… nice to have people who care."

"Of course I care. You're my sister. You will always be my sister," Rose replied, linking their arms together as they walked back to the house.

"I can't believe how much everything has changed in just a few days. I keep feeling like I'm going to wake up and be right back where I started."

"Never," Rose replied, pinching Bella's wrist with a small chuckle. "See, you're completely awake."

Bella laughed.

"Speaking of sisterly gossip," Rose murmured suddenly, a wicked grin on her face, "Just what is going on with you and Jazz? He can't keep his eyes off you!"

Bella blushed again. "He's just looking after me… I think. I… I really like him. A lot."

"Hmm, he really likes you too," Rose replied with a knowing look. "Looks like you hooked up with the wrong Cullen."

Bella giggled, before covering her mouth in shock.

"It's okay to be happy, Bella. It's the best kind of revenge you can get without actually setting Edward's ass on fire. Show him that he didn't beat you, that he can't win."

Bella nodded hesitantly. "I… He… I don't understand why he did what he did, but in a strange way… I'm kinda glad he did leave. Not because… I wish he hadn't taken you with him but I didn't really like the girl I was when I was with him."

"We love the real Bella. Be her, and let Edward go. He never deserved you to begin with."

They walked back into the lounge and Bella returned to Jasper's lap.

"Everything alright?" he asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

She nodded. "I'm… I'm happy."

He smiled, and it lit up his face. She'd never seen anything more beautiful.

"That's all I want," he murmured, his eyes never leaving hers. "We were just talking about the mechanics of the change itself and we wanted your opinion."

"Oh?" Bella asked, frowning slightly. "I don't know what I could add to that. I mean… you understand it better than I would."

"We just wanted to know your preference. Carlisle believes that he could inject you with Venom, rather than bite you. It depends if you want bite marks or not," Jasper informed her.

"Oh."

"It's entirely up to you, Bella," Carlisle said. "Whichever way you'd like to do it is perfectly fine."

"Would it make a difference?" She asked.

"Not really," he explained. "Only when it comes to mating. You see, a vampire can have… relations with as many people as he or she wishes it, but we only have one mate. As you know, Alice has gone to Paris to find hers."

When Bella nodded, he continued.

"When mates first have sexual relations, they bite each other, claiming marks, if you will. It only makes a difference if you'd only like to wear the bite mark of your mate, or if you'd also like to wear the mark of your sire."

"So… like a family mark? Cause it'll be your bite and you'll be my sire. My dad?"

Carlisle smiled proudly. "That is certainly one way to look at it."

"Would that mark bother my mate?" Bella asked, frowning slightly.

"No, sweetheart. Your mate will understand your reasoning for wanting it," Jasper murmured into her neck, making her shiver.

"I'd like you to bite me then," she whispered shyly, a fresh blush colouring her cheeks.

When she yawned, Jasper smiled. "Come on, munchkin, let's get you to bed. You can enjoy sleeping for the last time."

She grinned. "Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course."

Standing up, she hugged Carlisle tightly, before she turned to the others and hugged them each in turn.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Esme whispered.

Jasper lifted Bella easily and carried her up the stairs, to her bedroom. He set her down so she could have her human moments in the bathroom and lay on the bed, his head propped up against the headboard.

He was surprised but happy that Bella had decided to change so quickly. While he loved how soft and warm she felt as a human, he had to be constantly cautious about every movement he made in her proximity, not to mention that while it was completely worth it to be around her, the constant burn in his throat was uncomfortable.

"Hey, what's got you deep in thought?" she asked, sitting down on the bed beside him.

He scooped her up in his arms, pulling her close to his chest.

"You."

"Oh?"

"Hmm. I'm happy you're happy. Your emotions are so relaxed right now, it's nice," he whispered lazily, stroking her hair.

"I wouldn't be happy if it wasn't for you," she replied quietly. "You saved me."

"You wouldn't have needed saving if it wasn't for me," he said, frowning slightly.

She slapped his chest lightly.

"We've already had that conversation. If I'm not allowed to let what Edward did keep me down, you're not allowed to blame yourself for what happened. I was his singer, Jazz, and after everything that happened, I wouldn't be surprised if he pushed his bloodlust at you intentionally. A means to an end for his escape."

Frowning, Jasper looked at her.

"I never thought about that but… it makes sense. I'll keep it in mind, alright?"

"No more guilt," she whispered, kissing his neck before separating herself from him to get under the blankets. "Make sure you hunt, okay?"

"I'll be okay, you know? I can wait."

"I know, but why put yourself through pain when it's unnecessary? I can't be that interesting while I'm asleep," she joked, smiling when he tapped her on the nose.

"You have no idea."

She groaned. "What did I say?"

"Nothing bad."

"Jazz… what did I say?"

He sighed. "You told me you love me."

"Oh."

Jasper's heart sank when he felt her embarrassment.

"Bella?" he murmured when she buried herself under the blanket. "It's okay if you don't… feel it. You don't have to be embarrassed. I won't be mad."

Pulling the blanket off her face, she looked at him incredulously.

"You're an empath, you know how I feel. I just… I'd have rather told you when I was awake, the first time, you know?"

His heart soaring, he pressed his lips gently to hers in a chaste kiss.

"I love you, too, you know?"

She grinned. "Really?"

"Really, really. Now go to sleep so I can go and make my eyes pretty again for you."

She giggled, snuggling into his chest. "Night, Jazz."

"Night, darlin'."


	6. Chapter 6

**The next instalment - I hope you enjoy :P**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

* * *

Everything had been taken care of prior to Bella's change. Esme and Rose had prepared one of the spare bedrooms with a comfortable bed for her to lie on and they had fresh clothes ready to change her into so she wouldn't wake up to the scent of her own blood.

Jasper had prepared Bella's favourite breakfast for her, prior to her waking, and as promised, he'd hunted well, so his eyes were her favoured shade of gold. Carlisle had hunted with him, and the two of them had talked about the high likelihood of Bella being Jasper's vampire mate.

While they wouldn't know definitively until she woke up, Jasper had already been feeling a stirring when he was around her. He also knew that he would be utterly devastated if she wasn't his mate, because it meant that there was a chance she would run into him sometime over coming years.

Carlisle was fairly certain that Bella was Jasper's mate, and he'd shared his opinion with a grateful Jasper.

Now, Jasper sat on the bed beside Bella, stroking her hair softly while they waited for Carlisle.

"This is going to hurt, isn't it?" Bella murmured, and though she phrased it as a question, Jasper knew she already knew the answer.

"If you don't want to do this, no one will think any less of you," he whispered as she shifted on the bed to lay her head in his lap.

"No, I do want it, Jazz. I just… It's normal to be nervous, right?"

"I wouldn't know, honestly, sweetheart. I wasn't given the option, you know?"

She nodded. "I know. I wish you'd had a better start to your Vampire life. I feel a little bit guilty that you went through so much, whereas I get to wake up to a loving family."

"There's no need to feel guilty, Darlin'. You do realise that we are being utterly selfish by changing you? We all want you more durable so we don't have to fear losing you."

She blushed, and he stroked her cheek.

"Hmm, I will miss this though," he told her, chuckling when her embarrassment doubled in intensity. "Of course, I'll always know what you're feeling."

She nodded. "It's weird. I was always really glad that Edward couldn't read my thoughts, but I don't mind that you can read my emotions. I mean, when you think about it, emotions are even more intimate than thoughts."

"I'm glad I can read your emotions too, darlin'."

Carlisle entered the room, followed by Esme, Rose and Emmett. Jasper sent a strong wave of calm at Bella when her fear skyrocketed.

"It's okay, darlin'," he murmured. "You're going to be perfectly fine. I promise. I'll be here the whole time."

"We just came to see you quickly before Carlisle changes you, sweetheart, but we'll all be here when you wake up," Esme told her, gathering her into a motherly hug.

When Esme pulled back, she pressed a kiss to Jasper's cheek, before she left the room. Rose and Emmett both hugged Bella quickly, before they followed Esme out the door. Bella straightened out on the bed, clutching Jasper's hand in her own.

Carlisle put a tray on the table by the bed, with four venom filled syringes and smiled at Bella.

"I'll be biting you first, sweetheart, on your neck. When I've pumped plenty of venom in that way, I'm going to push more into your wrists and ankles with these. I'm hoping with so much venom it won't take the whole three days."

When Bella nodded, Carlisle smiled tightly.

"Are you ready? Are you positive this is what you want?"

"I'm ready," she replied, and Jasper was proud of the certainty and determination coming off her. As nervous as she was, he could feel no doubt coming from her at all. He nodded briefly to Carlisle, then stepped back.

When Bella frowned, he explained his action.

"I'm very protective of you, darlin'. I shouldn't be so close to you when Carlisle bites you, I might react badly."

"Love you, Jazz."

As Carlisle prepared himself to bite, Jasper smiled at her.

"I love you too, Bella."

* * *

She thought she'd been prepared for the pain, but this was unlike anything she'd ever felt before. Her blood was literally on fire in her veins, her muscles felt like they were being held in a vice and she was positive that her bones were snapping over and over again.

She tried to think around the burn, but it was impossible. She tried to remember why she was putting herself through this pain, but the reasons seemed to elude her.

Clenching her teeth together, she refused to give into the urge to scream. She couldn't remember why she didn't want to scream, but she knew it was a bad idea. She would hold on, and she would get through this torture.

* * *

"It'll be over soon, Son. Look how strong she is," Carlisle said as he entered the room, followed closely by Esme.

"She's beautiful," Esme sighed with a happy smile.

"She always was," Jasper murmured, stroking his hand over Bella's cheek. He'd been trying to absorb some of her pain, but it didn't seem to be helping. Instead, he overloaded her with love and affection, hoping it would at least help to combat some of the pain.

"I know that, sweetheart," Esme replied, patting his shoulder. "But look at her. She's stunning."

He grinned. "I know."

When his grin faltered, Carlisle looked over at him questioningly.

"I'm a little bit worried about when she wakes up. I was wondering if I should wait outside the room."

"Why?"

"Because newborns tend to react badly to my scars," Jasper admitted. "She'll see them much more clearly, and I don't want to scare her."

"You won't scare her, Son. Bella loves you," Esme assured him.

Jasper wished he had some of the confidence that was coming off both of his parental figures. Before he could say anything else, he heard the change in Bella's heartbeat.

As her heart sped up, Rosalie and Emmett appeared in the door. Carlisle and Esme backed off to the far end of the room, while Jasper remained at Bella's side.

They all heard the final thud of her heart, and then silence. None of them were even breathing as they waited for her to open her eyes.

Jasper felt like his own heart was about to burst out of his chest with the anticipation when she finally blinked her eyes open. He waited patiently for her to take stock, but when Emmett coughed out a laugh, even Jasper was surprised at the speed Bella leapt off the bed and into the corner of the room, taking on an instinctual defensive crouch.

Her eyes widened when she realised what she'd done, and as she looked at each of the people standing in the room, she stood up straight. Her eyes landed on Jasper, and she grinned. Leaping back over the bed, she tackled him to the floor with a hug.

"Mine," she whispered, kissing his neck.

He laughed, feeling the pull in his own chest. He ran his hand down her side, before he flipped them so he was laying over her.

"Mine," he repeated, kissing her soundly on the lips. "I missed you, baby."

"I didn't go anywhere," she replied, frowning.

"I haven't heard your voice for two days," he argued. "It felt like a lifetime."

She smiled. "Only two days?"

"Carlisle was right about the extra venom. It seemed to speed the process up some."

Jasper stood up, pulling her with him, when he felt the impatience coming off the others. "Go see our family, darlin'."

Bella walked carefully across the floor to Carlisle, wrapping her arms around his neck when he pulled her into his arms.

"You are so beautiful, my daughter," he whispered in her ear.

She loosened her arms so she could look at him. "Thanks, dad."

Carlisle passed her over to Esme, who had venom welling in her eyes.

"Hi, mom," Bella said, the cutest giggle Jasper had ever heard following the words. The others laughed with her as Esme hugged her tightly.

"BEAR!" Bella exclaimed next, leaping into Emmett's waiting arms.

"BABY BELLS!" Emmett shouted back, spinning her around in the enclosed space, being careful not to break anything. "I can't wait to scrap with you," he added, making her laugh again when he put her down.

"Hey sis," Bella grinned, hugging Rosalie. "Thank you," she added.

"For what?" Rose asked.

"For being the big sister I needed."

"Anytime, sweetheart," Rose assured her, letting her go so she could return to Jasper's waiting arms.

"Are you ready to learn how to hunt, baby?" Jasper asked, nuzzling Bella's neck. He felt her lust spike, even as her thirst seemed to make an appearance at his words.

"Sure," she agreed, massaging her throat gently.

He took her hand in his, smiling when she waved to the family as he pulled her down the stairs. He led her out to the forest, before letting go of her hand.

"What can you hear and smell, darlin?"

He waited for a moment as she let her senses go, nodding when she latched onto a herd of deer off to the west.

"Can I go?" she asked, and he laughed.

"Go on, baby, I'll be right behind you."

She set off, and he followed behind, enjoying the view immensely. She ran gracefully, dodging the trees and jumping over tree roots as though she'd been born for this life.

When they reached the clearing the deer were in, Jasper stood behind her, whispering almost silently in her ear.

"It's cleaner if you snap their neck first, then drink, but just let your instincts lead you."

She nodded, and he stood back. She jumped out from behind the tree they were stood, landing perfectly on the back of the biggest buck in the group. She snapped his neck as he suggested, before sinking her teeth into it's neck.

Jasper was slightly uncomfortable with how erotic of a sight she made, and he was forced to rearrange himself slightly.

When she was finished, she grinned up at him. He leapt down to where she was standing and helped her dig a big enough hole for the carcass of the deer to go in.

"Are you still thirsty sweetheart?"

She wrinkled her nose. "No, I'm good. I feel… sloshy."

He chuckled. "You'll get used to it. Come on then, let's get back to the house. I'm sure Rose will be impressed that you managed to keep your clothes clean."

She glanced down at her t-shirt and giggled.

They walked back at a human pace, hand in hand.

"So… this pull in my chest. That means that you're mine, right?"

"It does. You're my mate, baby. All mine," he replied, letting go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders. She tucked into his side like she was made to fit there.

"I was hoping for that, you know? Before Carlisle bit me. I was hoping you would be mine forever."

"I love you, Isabella Cullen."

"I love you too, Jasper Hale."

"Come on, munchkin, I'll race you back to the house."

She giggled. "Catch me if you can, Jazz."

Running off, she laughed loudly when Jasper ran behind her, never fast enough to actually catch her, but enough to make her push herself. As they reached the house, Jasper caught a scent that made his heart sink.

Speeding up, he wrapped his arms around Bella's waist, pulling her to his chest.

"Hold your breath, Darlin'. Don't breath, alright."

She did as she was told, but he could feel by her emotions that she wanted answers, immediately.

"I can smell a human," he told her, holding her tightly.

Determination hit him from her and she took a breath. He wanted to tell her off, but when she didn't try and fight his grip on her, he raised his eyebrow.

"That smells disgusting," she whispered, her nose wrinkling. "Eww."

Her emotions corresponding to her words, he frowned. "Seriously? You preferred the scent of the deer?"

She nodded. "Seriously. That's… that's not a nice smell, Jazz. At all."

His eyebrow raised, almost without his consent. "Wanna play guinea pig, baby?"

"What?"

"I want to test your apparent dislike of human blood. Come on, baby, let's go home and see who it is."

"They're at the house? Is it a scent you know?"

Jasper shook his head. "No, and before you worry, it's nobody from Forks. I'd recognise the scent's even if I didn't know who it belonged too."

She relaxed, and he took her hand in his again.

"Jazz, if it feels like I'm slipping…"

"I won't let you hurt anybody, baby, I swear."

As they reached the treeline, Emmett and Rosalie were waiting for them.

"You need to get out of here. There's a human at the house. Said he was lost and found our house by mistake," Rosalie told them, rolling her eyes.

Jasper shook his head. "We caught his scent a while ago. Apparently, it smells horrible," he told them, gesturing to Bella.

"You don't like the smell of human's?" Emmett asked, before letting out a bellow of a laugh. "It's never boring around you, is it?"

Rose slapped the back of his head, before grinning at Bella.

"Really? You don't like it?"

Bella shrugged. "The deer smelled much better than him."

Rosalie laughed. "Carlisle is going to be so damn proud of you."

The four of them continued to the house, Jasper and Emmett on either side of the girls, both tensed in case they had to get Bella away quickly.

Jasper felt the alarm from both Carlisle and Esme when they appeared, and he shook his head at them both. Bella bounded into the house, leaning against Carlisle.

The human was sitting at the table on the phone, in plain view of the newest vampire.

"Hey dad," she grinned, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Hi, sweetheart," he replied, his arm automatically going around her. He couldn't disguise the wonder in his eyes or his voice, and Jasper grinned at the emotions coming off him.

"Amazing isn't she," he murmured, too low for the human to hear.

"Magnificent," Carlisle whispered, his arm tightening briefly. "I'm so, so proud of you, sweetheart."

"You are truly Carlisle's daughter," Esme added, squeezing Bella's hand.

"You don't crave him at all?" Carlisle asked.

Bella shook her head. "Doesn't smell great," she said, careful to keep her voice low. The vampires stopped talking when the human finished his phone call.

"Thank you so much for allowing me to use your phone," he said, standing up. "I understand where I went wrong now, and I know where I'm going."

"You are very welcome," Esme replied sweetly. "Let me see you out."

He nodded, smiling at Carlisle and Bella before following Esme to the door. Carlisle picked Bella up, spinning her around in excitement.

"You have no idea how proud of you I am," he told her with a happy laugh.

"Does that mean that I skip the newborn year?" Bella asked, excited.

"It sure seems that way, darlin'," Jasper replied. "We'll just have to test you out on your strength, but other than that, you're golden. When your eyes change, you'll be able to go out and do whatever you want."

She giggled. "So I can finish high school then?"

Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett all groaned while Esme and Carlisle laughed.

Sighing, Jasper pulled Bella into a tight embrace, kissing the top of her head. "Yeah, munchkin. If you want, we can go to high school."

The squeal of happiness she let out made it worth it.


	7. Chapter 7

**You might have noticed there was a wait for this chapter... that's because I have no more prewritten. They will still come as quickly as I can write them, but work will be busy for me until a little after the new year, and Christmas is coming, so updates will be sporadic. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

* * *

The weeks turned into months, and Bella flourished. Jasper was constantly amazed that he could call such a wonderful creature his.

That she'd taken to vampire life so well made her amazing all by itself, but after only a few sessions of talking with himself and Carlisle, Bella was making huge strides in controlling her shield. They'd figured out that she could shield more than just herself, and as the months passed by, she got stronger and stronger.

She could now shield the whole family without straining herself. While they still weren't sure of the shields capabilities, they were relatively sure that she would be able to block them all from mental gifts.

Their romantic relationship had also progressed naturally, though they hadn't gotten much further than making out like teenagers. They were completely in love with one another, and Jasper had no worries about the future.

The day Bella's eyes finally turned gold was a day for both celebration and mourning for Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie. They were all happy for Bella, because it was very endearing how excited she was about it, but at the same time, they were mourning their loss of freedom.

After repeating it so many times, none of them were looking forward to returning to high school.

That was what found Jasper lounging on Bella's bed while she fretted about what to wear for the first day.

"You could wear a paper bag with holes in it and still look beautiful," he told her when she pulled out yet another pair of jeans.

"Jazz," she muttered. "You're not helping."

He got off the bed and stepped in front of her, capturing her lips with his own. When her back arched up against him, he wrapped his arms around her pulling her body flush with his.

Letting her go, he turned around and pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans, a black tank top, and a white jumper. Handing them over, he quickly put the rest of her clothes away.

"Go and get dressed, darlin," he said, pushing her towards the bathroom. "We don't want to be late, right?"

Groaning, she scowled at him. "That was cheating, Mr Hale."

He grinned. "Don't worry about it, munchkin. Soon as the school day is done, we can pick up where we left off. Go and get dressed. I'll wait downstairs for you."

He left the room, chuckling when he heard Bella muttering very unflattering things about him.

"You know you still love me," he called up the stairs.

She whizzed down them, fully dressed with her hair in a smooth ponytail, and jumped on his back, kissing his neck in the process.

"You know I do," she agreed.

"Are you two ready?" Rosalie asked, gliding down the stairs with Emmett following a step behind her.

When Jasper and Bella nodded, she sighed.

"I am so ready for graduation," she muttered, making them laugh.

"Which car are we taking?" Emmett asked, as the four of them walked out the front door.

"Take your's," Jasper said, gesturing to the large Jeep. "At least in that we'll all be comfortable. The Volvo was a fucking nightmare when we were all in it."

Emmett nodded in agreement, climbing into the driver's seat. Jasper lifted Bella into the back seat and followed in behind her.

"You know you don't have to do that any more, right?" Bella asked with a chuckle.

Jasper shrugged. "I like to help you."

She kissed his cheek, snuggling into his side as Rose got in the front seat and Emmett started the engine.

It wasn't a long drive to school, and before they knew it, Emmett was pulling into a parking space. Jasper could feel the nerves emanating from Bella.

"You'll be fine, darlin'," Jasper murmured. He got out of the car, helping Bella out after, and took his hand in hers. When Rose and Emmett followed suit, the four of them walked into the school, drawing the attention of the students still loitering in the parking lot.

Jasper smirked at Bella when the whispers of the males washed over them, appreciating both Bella and Rose in equal measure.

Bella growled quietly when she heard the girls closest to her talking about how hot Jasper was. He laughed, leaning over with his free hand to mess up her hair. She rolled her eyes at him, and he kissed her nose, effectively answering the most asked question around them.

Are they single?

Absolutely, unequivocally, not.

* * *

Bella groaned when she sat down at the lunch table Rose and Emmett had chosen. Letting her head fall to the table, she heard the others chuckling at her.

"I understand so much better now," Bella complained. "It smells bloody awful in here. Was I always this hormonal?"

"No," Jasper assured her. "You had your moments, but for the most part, you were very pleasant to be around."

"So… how likely is it that mum and dad will agree to never make us do this again?" she asked, lifting her head up.

"It's easier when we do, unfortunately. The younger we start out, the longer we can remain in the same place," Rose said quietly, rolling her eyes. "It does get easier though, Bells. You'll learn to block them out for the most part, and they learn quickly enough to leave us alone."

Bella nodded, leaning into Jasper. "I guess."

"There will always be the more… idiotic ones, though, who won't catch the hint," Emmett added, raising his eyebrows slightly at the two approaching humans.

"Hi! I'm Ella, and this is Georgia. Welcome to our high school!"

Emmett looked away, unimpressed with the doe eyes the girl was giving him, and Rosalie scoffed.

"He's not available. Go away," she told the girls harshly, making Bella snort with amusement.

"Wow, we only came over to make friends," the second girl sneered, and Bella flinched at her voice. It reminded her of Lauren.

"We have friends," Rosalie replied, her face and voice both taking on a bored approach. "We don't need any more."

Ella glared at Rosalie, before she turned to Jasper. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she said, "What about you? Could you do with any new friends?"

Bella turned slightly in her seat, her eyes narrowing at Ella. "Take your hand off my man. Now." She snarled.

Ella snatched her hand back, looking at Bella with fear filled eyes. "Come on, Georgia," she muttered, linking their arms together and pulling her friend away quickly.

Bella was seething.

"Calm down, darlin'. You know I don't have any interest in anyone but you," Jasper whispered, pulling Bella onto his lap.

She put her head against his shoulder, enjoying the way his arms wrapped around her. "I want to go home," she muttered. "Screw finishing high school."

"Hmm… that was kinda hot, by the way. You being all possessive. I like it," Jasper murmured into her ear.

She shivered at his words, pressing her lips against his neck.

"I only told the truth. You are mine. The sooner the girls here realise that, the better."

When the bell rang, Bella sighed.

"Come on, baby. Only a few more hours and I can have you all to myself," Jasper said, waiting for her to stand and following suit.

She nodded, taking his offered hand. At least they had the same schedule. She didn't know how she'd cope if she had to sit in classes without him.

* * *

Carlisle and Esme were waiting for the four of them when they returned home, and Bella greeted them both with a warm hug and kisses on the cheek. She was more loving than the others, and it wasn't unusual to see her curled up beside any one of her new family at any given time.

"Alice called," Carlisle informed them, stroking Bella's hair comfortingly. "It seem's Edward has decided it's time to come home. He'll be here in a few hours."

Bella closed her eyes. "This day just keeps on getting better," she grimaced.

"We knew this was a possibility, darlin'," Jasper said with a sigh, pulling her over to him and wrapping her tightly in his arms. "He won't hurt you, baby. I won't let him."

"The idea of him being near me makes my skin crawl," Bella admitted softly. "Can we go hunt? I can't be here right now."

"Will you come back?" Esme asked, worriedly. Jasper could feel her fear, but he would let Bella answer the question. If she wanted to leave, he would go with her, and he would stay away as long as she wanted.

"Of course," Bella replied, as though there was no other option. "He separated me from you once before, but I won't allow him to do it again."

"What time did Alice say he was due to arrive?" Jasper asked.

"Around ten thirty," Carlisle told them.

Bella nodded. "We'll be back by nine. If nothing else, it'll give me a chance to play with my shield."

Rose and Emmett laughed loudly, and Carlisle smirked.

"Hmm. It will be interesting to see how Edward behaves without access to his gift."

Nodding in agreement, Bella smiled at her family.

"We'll see you in a few hours."

Before they could leave, Rose caught Bella's sleeve. Looking into her sister's eyes, Rose said, "Tonight."

Bella nodded, and walked out the door. Jasper followed her, letting her lead until they reached the waterfall they'd found exploring a few months ago.

"Are you okay, baby?" he asked, pulling her into his arms when she stopped.

She shook her head. "I don't want to see him."

"You know you don't have too," he replied. While he knew in his heart that she wouldn't run away, he needed her to know she had the option.

"I do, though, Jazz. I can't… I won't let him ruin me again. He can kiss my sparkly ass."

Jasper laughed, his amusement projecting onto Bella. She grinned at him, before she captured his lips in a searing kiss.

"There's something I want to talk to you about," she whispered against his jaw. "Come sit with me?"

He sat down by the water's edge, opening his legs wide enough for her to slot in between them, her back to his chest.

"I want you to claim me," she murmured. He could feel her embarrassment, but also her love for him and her determination.

"I already have," he replied, kissing her shoulder.

"I mean… I want you to bite me. I want to belong to you, Jazz."

"Is this because of Edward?"

"Partially," she admitted. "But… I've been thinking about it anyway. I was going to talk to you about it this weekend. I'm ready, Jazz. I love you, I adore you, I want you."

"Are you sure about this, baby?" he asked, turning her around to look at him.

She nodded. "I talked to Rose about it, you know? I hope you don't mind, I just wanted another female's perspective on what I was feeling and -"

"Baby, I don't mind that you spoke to Rose about it. Is that what she meant back at the house? When she said, 'tonight'?"

Bella nodded. "We both thought it would be a good idea for me to be proudly wearing your mark when Edward got home. Rose thinks it might prevent him from… trying to dazzle me into something."

Jasper growled at the thought. Bella was HIS, dammit. He calmed, when she stroked his chest.

"I understand if you want to wait, and do it somewhere more… romantic, I guess, but… I love you, Jazz. Taking Edward completely out of the equation, I still want this."

He smiled, kissing her forehead. "I can't think of a much more romantic place to claim you as mine for eternity than here," he whispered, nodding his head at the waterfall. "I love you, baby, and I want nothing more than to see my mark on your neck. If this is what you really want, It'd be my absolute pleasure."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her lips to his. "You are what I want, Jazz. Everything else… it doesn't really matter. I love you. I want you. I need you to make me yours."

Flipping them suddenly, Jasper propped himself up above Bella in the grass, gently shifting her hair from her face. "You are mine, baby, just as I am yours."

Jasper walked into the living room with Bella on his back at ten past ten, to find the rest of the family waiting for them.

She was resting peacefully, her eyes closed, her head on his shoulder. If a human saw them, they'd think she was asleep. He shifted her around to his front, sitting down in 'their' chair with her on his lap.

She opened her eyes, smiling at her sister.

"You were right, it was perfect," she whispered, making Rose whoop with joy, a big grin on her face.

Jasper could feel an overwhelming amount of happiness and love directed at both him and Bella from the family, and he projected it back to them all. Bella sighed happily, snuggling further into his embrace.

"Are you ready for this, sweetheart?" Carlisle asked Bella, his concern evident.

She nodded. "As I'll ever be. I… I'm secure in the knowledge that my family love me. It's all I ever needed. Edward… Whatever his reaction, it doesn't matter. I'm happy and he can't ruin that. I won't let him."

"I'm proud of you, Bella," Esme said, venom filling her eyes. "And you are correct. We all love you very much."

"Have you got your shield ready, baby?" Jasper asked.

Bella nodded. "Yeah. I've been covering everyone since we came in the house."

He chuckled. "That's my baby. You're so impressive, it's not even funny."

She elbowed him lightly, making him laugh more.

Jasper was feeling amazing, even with the stress of Edward's impending arrival. His bite mark was clearly visible on Bella's neck, and she was his, completely, truly and utterly his. He could feel her love for him like a constant source of warmth, wrapping around his entire being.

They heard Edward a few minutes before he arrived, and he seemed to loiter at the front door for a full minute before he entered the house. Jasper smirked at Emmett, who grinned.

They all knew he'd been listening for their thoughts before he entered, hoping to get an idea of the kind of reception he would receive.

"Carlisle?" he called, when he opened the front door.

"We're in the living room, Edward," Carlisle replied calmly.

At a human pace, Edward walked through to the living room. He froze at the entryway, his eyes moving from Carlisle and Esme, to Rosalie and Emmett, and finally to Jasper and Bella.

Bella still had her eyes closed, a peaceful look on her face, but when she felt his eyes on her, she opened her own to look at him.

"Hello, Edward."


	8. Chapter 8

**Merry Christmas (almost), Guys! I hope everyone has a beautiful day and gets everything they were hoping for. I love you all :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

* * *

Bella still had her eyes closed, a peaceful look on her face, but when she felt his eyes on her, she opened her own to look at him.

"Hello, Edward."

"Bella," he gasped out, his eyes drifting from her to Jasper, and then Carlisle. "You changed her!"

"You clearly have a strong grasp on the obvious," Bella said, snorting. Rose and Emmett laughed, their eyes lighting up with amusement.

Jasper could feel their relief that Bella hadn't reverted to the insecure shell of a sister she'd been before.

"But… I mean… why are you… why can't I… why can't I hear anyone's thoughts?"

"I never realised he had a stuttering problem, Jazz," Bella murmured, letting her head rest on Jasper's shoulder again. "He should really see someone about that."

Jasper felt… he couldn't even describe the elation he was feeling. Bella felt utterly calm and serene, and somewhat amused along with it. There was none of the heartbreak he'd expected.

"Bella, love, I'm sorry I left you alone. I'm so sorry. I love you," Edward murmured, walking slowly towards her. "Please… let me make it up to you. Give me a chance to show you how happy I can make you."

Jasper felt a flicker of fear but Bella dispelled it immediately when she laughed.

"You're not that lucky and I'm not that desperate," she informed him through her giggles.

The room erupted, Jasper and Emmett laughing heartily, Rose giggling along with Bella and Carlisle and Esme watching her with pride clearly shining from their eyes.

"Will somebody tell me what's going on, dammit!" Edward growled, looking around at them wildly.

"Why don't you explain to us why you thought it was a good idea to break my daughter's spirit, and lie to us about it?" Carlisle replied, his eyes icy. "Or better yet, why don't you explain why you left her alone in the woods where anything could happen to her?"

"It wasn't safe for her to remain in our world, I was trying to protect her," Edward replied promptly. "Clearly that didn't work. How could you do this to her?"

Before Carlisle could reply, Bella stood up, her eyes fierce. She stalked forward towards Edward who was suddenly feeling very nervous.

"Say what you want about me, Edward," She snarled quietly. "I'm over it. Ever talk to my dad like that again, and I'll rip your shiny hide to pieces and hide them across Europe. Do you understand me?"

He nodded when she twisted his arm harshly.

"Answer me, Edward."

"I understand," he whimpered when he felt his shoulder threatening to separate from his body.

She released him, shaking her head. "You disgust me."

Turning to Jasper she held out her hand, which he took immediately and stood up beside her.

"Come on, Jazz. I don't need to be here for this. Let's go and do our homework, huh?"

"You know homework only takes minutes for us, right?" Emmett asked, his eyebrows wiggling ridiculously.

Bella grinned. "Oh I know."

Rosalie smirked. "That's my sister."

Bella dropped Jasper's hand and jumped over the table, landing lightly on Carlisle's lap.

"Love you, Daddy," she whispered, kissing his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest.

"I love you too, sweetheart," he replied, kissing her head. Bella slipped from his embrace into Esme's waiting arms and repeated the process before rejoining Jasper. She grinned at Emmett and blew a kiss to Rosie before she pulled him from the room, giggling when he chased her up the stairs to her bedroom.

He closed the door behind him, before wrapping his arms around Bella.

"I am so, so proud of you," he murmured into her neck. She sighed into the embrace, and he could feel her relief washing over him.

"It didn't hurt like I expected it too," she whispered. "I thought it was going to be painful, seeing him again, but it wasn't. I didn't even really feel angry. He… he irritates me."

"I know. I can feel you, remember," he said, grinning against her skin. "I've never been so relieved.

"You thought I'd… Jazz, were you worried I still wanted him?" She asked, pulling back. He could see a spark of hurt in her eyes.

"No, baby, that's not what I mean at all. I was scared that seeing him was going to cause you to feel the pain that you felt when I first came back to you."

"Oh… yeah, no. Nothing. There was nothing. He's… He's just not worth it."

Jasper grinned. "I know. Still… the idea of tearing him into little pieces really does have merit."

Bella chuckled. "Violence solves nothing."

"I know. It'd make me feel good though."

Before Bella could reply, the sound of smashing glass sounded from downstairs, and Edward was shouting angrily.

"So you changed her and let Jasper steal my mate!"

Jasper felt the change in Bella immediately, even as she was flitting out of the bedroom. He followed after her, unsure if he wanted to stop her from doing something she might regret, or if he wanted to help her tear Edward up.

When he reached the living room, he noticed the glass in the table was now strewn on the carpet in pieces and Bella already had Edward pinned against the wall.

"You dare to say I'm your mate after what you did to me? You fucking destroyed me, Edward… completely and utterly broke me. Jasper and my family are the ones that picked up the pieces of the mess you left behind, and yet you think you can come here and kick off with them. Not fucking likely.

"I don't know why you think that just because you can read minds, you're some super special brand of person, but let me assure you that you're not. You're as flawed, probably more so, as any other being on the planet, be it vampire, human, or fucking fairy. Get your head from up your ass and show some damn respect!"

She let him go, and Jasper tilted his head to the side.

"Jazz?" Bella asked.

"What's up, baby?"

"Show Edward what he did to me. Let's see how long he can hold himself up. It might teach him a lesson in humility."

"Oh, it will be my absolute pleasure," Jasper replied, smiling sadistically.

Edward straightened his shirt and rolled his eyes. "Why do you think that human emotions would affect me? You're a vampire too, now, Bella, you should know that humans don't feel things as intensely."

"Jasper?"

Jasper shifted through his mind back to the memory of the first time he saw Bella again, and sent the full blend of emotions straight at Edward.

Edward stumbled, dropping to one knee immediately as venom filled his eyes. He was gasping for breath as Bella glared down at him. Jasper kept the stream going for far longer than he did on his family members.

She leant down to where Edward was kneeling on the floor and put her lips right near his ear.

"That's what you did to me. I carried that around with me for months. Are you proud of yourself, now, jackass?"

"B...Bella," he gasped out, his hand rubbing at his chest.

Bella nodded at Jasper for him to release the emotions, and Jasper did so, though he didn't replace them with the same love and affection that he had the rest of the family. Edward slumped into a sitting position on the floor, looking up at Bella with pained eyes.

Turning to Jasper, he asked, "That's how she was when you found her?"

"Exactly like that. It sent me to my knees the first time I tried to approach her. You did that, Edward. She carried it around for months, and survived it. She's stronger than you could ever be, and she's worth so much more than you could ever hope for."

Bella moved back into Jasper's embrace, and smiled up at him. Turning back to Edward, she said, "Are you ready to discuss this like adults now, Edward, or are you not finished with destroying the house?"

He leant against the wall, his head resting in his hands, but he nodded. Bella and Jasper sat back down in the chair, waiting for him to get his shit together.

"Why can't I hear anyone's thoughts?" he asked quietly.

"Bella is a shield. She can block your power," Carlisle replied flatly. "Are you ready to answer my questions, Edward?"

"I… I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold off from biting her," he spat out quickly. "I wanted her… so badly. It was like an addiction. When we left…"

"When you forced us to leave, you mean?" Emmett growled.

"I had too!" Edward snapped. "None of you were supposed to get so close to her! I mean, she was for me, not you! She was supposed to be mine, and then you met her and you all loved her and yes, okay, I was selfish! I was cruel, and selfish, and I acted like a jerk, but… If we'd stayed, I would have drained her."

"Why were you so cruel to me in the forest?" Bella asked, tilting her head to the side. "I'll accept that you thought you had to leave, but did you have to be so…"

"Evil?" Rosalie supplied, glaring at Edward.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I… I thought that if you believed that none of the family cared, that I didn't care… you'd stay away from Vampires. I couldn't stand the thought that you would be with another. Clearly that didn't work."

His voice turned bitter as he finished. Bella rolled her eyes.

"That was never your choice to make," she murmured. "You told me to move on, to forget you'd ever existed, like it would ever be that easy. Do you really have so little understanding of human nature that you thought I'd just shrug and jump onto the next dude that came along?"

He shook his head. "I don't suppose I ever really thought about the effect my leaving would have on you. I assumed you would be sad for a while, I suppose. I didn't... I'm sorry, Bella."

Esme growled lowly. "How dare you," she snarled. "You left her without a thought, and you come home believing that a simple apology will make everything alright? I've never been so disappointed of one of my children in my entire existence, Edward Cullen!"

"I don't know what you want me to say," Edward admitted after a minute, looking up at Carlisle and Esme. "I can only apologise for my behaviour and promise that it'll never happen again. Please... don't abandon me. I'm nothing if I'm not a Cullen."

Carlisle snorted. "We've abandoned one child already, Edward, I would not make that mistake again. You will respect Bella as a member of the family, and you will not antagonise any of your siblings. Everybody will need time to come to terms with your actions, and I do hope that you try and make amends for them. Bella and Jasper are mated, and again, you _will_ respect that."

Edward soured at the mention of Jasper and Bella being mated, but he nodded his head resigned.

Bella watched him carefully. She wasn't sure that they'd heard the end of it, but she hoped it was. The last thing she wanted was drama in the house when she was finally so happy. Jasper squeezed her lightly, kissing her head. He could feel her suspicion and he'd be the first to agree with her. He was slightly surprised but gratified that the same suspicion was emanating rather strongly from both Carlisle and Esme, while Rose and Emmett both felt an odd combination of anger and smugness.

When he glanced their way, Emmett's eyes were on Edward, but Rose winked at him, making him smile. She'd help him keep an eye on the situation he knew. He also had no doubt that if it became necessary, she'd help him tear Edward into pieces.

"Well, what have you been doing?" Esme asked, her tone still slightly unfriendly as she watched Edward.

Tuning out, because he wasn't interested, Jasper pulled Bella closer into his chest, burying his face in her neck. This was the only place he wanted to be.


End file.
